Endings & Beginnings
by JadedLadies
Summary: Some people say the third time's the charm.  Can Edward and Bella find their way back to each other or does fate have other plans? AH  **COMPLETE**
1. Dirty Little Secret

**This chapter is dedicated to everyone who has been affected by Parkinson's disease and to those who loved and cared for them. A special thanks to everyone who donated to the FoxyFics fundraiser for the Michael J. Fox Foundation. There's a link on our profile for the FoxyFics blog.**

**Thank you to our beta LZTZ, pre-reader tanglingshadows, and to Heatherdawn for the beautiful banner!**

**Also, there are **_**MANY**_** people who've supported and encouraged us through the challenges of writing our first multi-chapter story. We are gracious and humbled by your love for us. **_**THANK YOU!**_

**Disclaimer: We don't own Twilight, but it owns us.**

**Chapter 1 - Dirty Little Secret**

_**Bella **_

"Mmmm… Edward," I said as Edward's hands held onto my hips tighter. I continued gliding up and down on his dick, quick up, then down was slow and controlled.

Edward's hands loosened and moved up along my lower back, tracing along my spine and stopping at the back of my neck to pull me down into a breathy kiss. The erratic rhythm of our joined bodies never missed a beat. "Bizz. You feel so damn good. Fuck." My long brown hair acted like a curtain around us, hiding us from the outside world.

_If only it could hide us forever._

I felt the blankets bunching up underneath of my knees, providing me with a little more height so I could raise up higher and enjoy the feel of every inch of his length inside of me. Quick, then slow. Up and down.

I loved the feel of his breath hitting my face. The scent brought back a flood of memories that swirled around in my head. We were each other's firsts; first crush, date, dance, kiss, romance, first… time.

I blinked away my thoughts when I felt Edward shifting us again, that time he withdrew from me and I groaned as he placed me on my stomach and slowly lifted my ass in the air. "You ready?" Edward asked as he entered me from behind, not waiting for an answer. I didn't think it was meant as a question; more like a warning.

I closed my eyes tightly at the new sensation; he became one with me again and took my breath away. He was so deep inside of me. I held on tight to the blankets to steady myself from his powerful thrusts. It was the best torture I had ever experienced. "Yes… yes…. oh, God, yes." I chanted as Edward started an even faster rhythm. I felt his breaths against my lower back and it added to the sensations I had of him touching every part of my body.

I pushed up on my arms so I could rock back and forth to meet his thrusts, enjoying the friction and sounds we made together. Skin smacked against sweaty skin. My breasts bounced from our erratic movements as I opened my eyes and looked back toward Edward. His eyes were closed tightly, and I could see beads of sweat on his face. I wanted to lick it and taste him on my tongue. Swallow him down and have him become a part of me.

_In our less than sober state, neither of us cared that what we were doing was wrong._

Edward and I had been high school sweethearts. When Edward left to attend college in Seattle, with his hopes and dreams of becoming a doctor as his priority, I stayed behind to finish my senior year at Forks High School. Back in the day, Edward and I decided not to have a long distance relationship. As much as it hurt to watch him walk away, I knew we had no choice. What I really needed to admit to myself, though, was that choice had actually been made _for me_. Edward didn't want a long distance relationship, no matter how much I wanted to try.

A year later it was my turn to leave for college, and it did not take long for me to meet Jake. At first I tried to deny my attraction to him; his dark brown eyes, tanned skin, and funny personality had drawn me to him. He was like my own personal sun. We became quick friends, and by the time our junior year began, we decided to give dating a try.

Jake was accepted by my friends, old and new, including Edward. They became the best of friends, hanging out almost every weekend when we all got together. It was strange to see the boy I once loved enjoying his time more with your current boyfriend than with you. It worked for them, so I did not complain. Jake and Edward called each other throughout the week and got to know the other well. At times I teased them about being a couple.

Edward was Jake's Best Man at our wedding the summer after he and I had graduated college.

_That was why what Edward and I were doing was so wrong._

I was having sex with Edward while my husband spent the weekend with my father-in-law, Billy, to ask advice and seek counsel on the state of our short marriage. We both had seen the warning signs. Jake went to Billy for help and I called Edward. I never imagined where that one call would end up. _Adultery._

"Edward, I need your help. Actually, we need your help, me and Jake," I said when he answered. "Mind if I swing by with some pizza and you can help me understand what's wrong with the male brain?" I joked, even though that was not a joking matter. My hands were shaking from my frazzled nerves.

Edward laughed, "Only if you bring a case with you too. Nothing less than a case, Bizzy. It'll take more than a few beers to explain that guys are always right and you girls, well, I guess that makes you wrong, pal. Sorry."

I rolled my eyes at his stupid attempt to make a joke, and I agreed to stop for pizza and beer before driving the twenty minutes to his apartment.

Two hours later, we had eaten the entire pizza and had a pretty good buzz going on. Since I'd arrived, we had discussed the main problems in my marriage, including our lack of intimacy. There just seemed to be a piece of our relationship missing somehow. If I had known myself better, I would've told myself _what_ the missing piece was, but I didn't.

I loved Jake, I really did, just some days there was this voice yapping away in the back of my mind that told me I loved my husband, but that I wasn't _in love_ with him. On the days where I had my doubts, I just couldn't shut my mind down enough to make love to Jake. When I did, sex was enjoyable, don't get me wrong, but it felt emotionless, distant. There was just no passion between us, no words of love spoken, just two bodies connecting and going through the motions. Somehow, we both learned that marrying right out of college was a mistake for us, as the pressures of the outside world closed in around us. I started my first year teaching at a local middle school and Jake, after graduating with a Business degree, became part owner of an auto repair shop with his lifelong friend, Embry. I knew many couples naturally progress to that point, and it was right for them, but there had already been a small part of my brain that told me to take it slower. Jake said we would grow together as time went on, and that love had no ending. I just went along with him and hoped he was right.

Edward put in a movie as we continued to drink and talk. I had even asked him if he wanted to play a card game. Kings was always a lot of fun, but not a good idea with just two players. Since we had already started drinking, we didn't care that by the time the last beer had disappeared, so did our clothes.

"Can you feel me, Bella?" Edward barely said loud enough for me to hear. "This is amazing, you're amazing." He made his thrusts into me deeper and used more force. My arms were getting sore, so I lowered myself back down onto my elbows, changing the angle of Edward's dick, and nearly made my body explode in orgasm during his first thrust into me; my body was covered in goose bumps.

The bed was softly rocking into Edward's bedroom wall, and the sound of the deep taps, along with the vibrations of the mattress moving beneath us, was entrancing. I wasn't going to last much longer.

I stuttered out, "Ed-d-d-ward. I'm gonna cum-mmm. Are you close?" I smashed my face into his pillow to soften my scream. "Edwarrdddd, yes!"

"Bizzy, I'm…" he didn't finish what he had tried to say. I felt him releasing inside of me. In my tipsy state, I fell down flat onto the blankets with a thud, Edward still on top of me, inside of me, and his weight pressed me into the bedding.

As we separated, we stayed close together, touching. I couldn't remember a time when I had felt more right. Well, I could remember, but I tried not to.

He was rubbing soft circles around my nipples with the knuckles on his hand. The feeling was causing my stomach to tighten.

"Hey," Edward said, as he brushed some of my hair that was stuck to my face and tucked it behind my ear.

I reached up and ran my thumb along his eyebrow then continued down his face and neck. I loved feeling the light dampness on his skin, knowing how it got there, and remembered how a few minutes before I wanted to lick it off of him.

"Hey, yourself," I said as I smiled. My eyes followed the path my thumb had just made, and then looked up into his beautiful eyes. I could get lost in his them for days if I wasn't careful.

I scooted up to kiss him, and the lingering taste of beer was on his lips. I couldn't resist licking him. Beer and sweat. Bitter and salty.

A kiss I had intended to be quick turned into a fury of passion that, if I was being honest with myself, I hadn't felt in the years since he and I broke up in high school. It really was the last time I'd felt the humming of the almost electric current that ran between our bodies.

Edward gently pushed my shoulders flat on to the bed and spread my legs apart with his knees. I could feel his head slowly entering me again, and he took his time bringing us both back to our peaks.

A few hours later, we cleaned up, and then truly realized the consequences to our actions.

I had not been faithful to my husband, and Edward had cheated on his girlfriend, Jessica.

_It didn't stop us from kissing each other goodbye._

Before I had left, I reached out with my fingertips and again, traced his jaw that had a day's worth of scratchy growth on it, and I moved on to feel the softness of his lips. He closed his eyes and kissed my fingertips.

After opening his green eyes, he looked down at me and, after one last kiss and a goodbye, I left.

As I drove away from Edward, towards the house that I purchased with my husband, I felt sad about hurting Jake. It was not my intention to deceive him. Honestly, I would not have sought out Edward's advice if I'd known what would have happen. Jake had just been betrayed, not only by his wife, but by his best friend too. Although it wasn't premeditated sex, it was infidelity, plain and simple. I knew I couldn't keep that from him.

But where did that leave Edward?

Christ, I had no clue where that left Edward. Did I think I still loved him? Yes. I always knew I would love him forever. I just never knew I would be one of _those_ wives. The type who had that Fox TV show, Cheaters, follow them around town to investigate a claim from their significant other, who thought their partner was having an affair, and would try to catch them in the act. Sure, all types of people were unfaithful. Celebrities, bus drivers, lawyers, teachers like me, and doctors like Edward, cheat. Hell, even Prince Charles had a torrid affair with that Camilla person while he was married to Princess Diana. Did it make what happened between us acceptable? Fuck no, it didn't.

What if fate had stepped in? I had known for months that I wasn't happy in my marriage, and Jake felt it too. We didn't discuss it other than an _Are you sure you're alright?_ here, or an _I know we need to talk_ there. But if fate had stepped in, and forced us to make tough decisions and cause hurt to others, was it all worth it?

Yes. It would be worth it.

Jake would be hurt and mad, but he deserved a chance to find someone who adored him like I wished I could.

My parents would be disappointed with my actions. I would hate to see the lack of respect in their eyes, disappointed in me and my choices.

Billy would probably be sad for our combined losses, but take it all in stride. He had always believed our stories were already written in the stars, we just had to live our lives to the best of our ability while the story was being told.

Our families and friends would all pick sides, even though they would try not to.

A horn honking behind my car while I was stopped at a traffic light, brought me out of my thoughts. From what I felt, I had three choices, all of which would leave somebody in pain.

I could choose to live my life with my husband, in our little, passionless bubble of non-contentment, and no longer have contact with Edward, but be left with the feeling of a hole in my chest that not even my husband could fill.

Jake and I would divorce in option number two. Jake would be alone in that scenario, but me and Edward would be together.

Lastly, but it really wasn't strongly considered a contender, I would leave both Jake and Edward, and live on my own while I tried to figure out who the fuck I really was and what my goals were in life.

With that thought in mind, I entered my home, and I reached into my purse to grab my cell phone. Looking down, I noticed I had a text message from Jake.

**Goodnight Bells – Jake**

I responded.

**Night **

Even when Jake knew we were having problems, he still made an effort. _I was a world class bitch._

And just like that, I decided I needed to talk to Edward. If Edward didn't think we had a shot at being together, then I hoped that we would at least remain friends.

If Edward though we had a chance together, then I would give us my best effort.

I would tell Jake about my night. He would be a brokenhearted man, but at least he would know the truth. Even in that scenario, I doubted we would remain friends but he deserved to know what a shitty wife I'd been to him.

I clutched my phone in my hand and dialed his number. With shaking hands, I lifted it to my ear as I listened to the phone ring, and waited for answer that would change my life.

**~~ E & B ~~**

_**Edward**_

My plans didn't go how I expected them when I woke up that morning. I planned on having a night out with guys at the pool hall, beer flowing, shit talking, and lots of laughs.

That all changed the minute Bella called. She needed me, and that was more important than any plans I had made.

Bella had been one of my best friends for years. Thank God when I broke up with her in high school it didn't affect our friendship. She had been a source of comfort to me for as long as I could remember, and I wouldn't know what to do without her in my life. Sure, it was awkward sometimes to watch Jake and her together, and their wedding day almost killed me even though I was happy that they found happiness being together. Bella was my first love, and she always had a piece of my heart no matter who we both were in a relationship with. I just wanted her to be happy, although, in the back of my fucked up mind, I knew it was my fault she married another man.

When Bella came to my apartment, and spilled her dark secrets about things being rough between her and Jake, I wasn't very surprised. I had seen it with my own two eyes, but never felt it was my place to say anything to either of them. They both knew I was their friend and would be there to listen if they wanted to talk.

What I didn't expect was how a case of beer turned into liquid courage for both of us to reveal that we still had feelings for each other; feelings that went way beyond the boundaries of friendship. Unfortunately, it wasn't as easy as it may be for two people with those types of feelings.

We had road blocks in front of us, Jake, of course, and then there was my girlfriend, Jessica. She was great and all, but the way I saw it was we were just having fun and not worrying what the future may or may not have in store for us. Jessica saw it differently, and every time we were with married couples, especially Bella and Jake, she made comments about us getting married. I just ignored them, which didn't help.

After my actions and confessions to Bella, it became clear to me that Jessica and I weren't on the same page. Not that it was rocket science or anything.

When Bella leaned over to kiss me, I didn't think twice about reciprocating. My lips touched hers, and the spark that I had tucked away in my memories, were reunited and my body took over with the desire I had been missing for far too long. I had taken off Bella's clothes to touch and kiss every single part of her body, and gave her the pleasure she deserved. I didn't think twice about the fact that it wrong.

Bella had pushed me on my back, and slid down onto my cock, taking me inside her. I sure as hell hadn't thought about my girlfriend, who was out with her friends that night, or even Jake, who was in Forks for the weekend. I thought my body had found its home again. I found the connection that had been broken years ago, but never left my heart.

Even though we had been drinking, I would not say us having sex had been a drunken mistake. It was our moment of truth, a celebration of coming together again, and the hidden desires we both had harbored. We belonged together, but we denied it for way too long.

I had known before she even kissed me that my life would change during that conversation. I felt the air shift the minute she walked in my door, and when she looked me in the eyes. Sure, there was a sadness hidden there but, I also saw a determination to bring her life back to what she had dreamed about all those years ago. I only hoped that dream still included me.

The phone started to ring, bringing me out of my reflections. I glanced down, and smiled as I saw that it was Bella.

"Well, hello, Bella," I smirked as I spoken hoping we had the same thoughts.

"Edward," she sighed, as if she was feeling as blissful as I was.

"Please say you changed your mind about staying the night, Bizzy, and that you are on your way back?" I asked. I didn't want her to leave before, but she insisted upon it.

"Get serious Edward. I can't come back to just spend the night at your house. It's just not right," she quickly responded.

"Are you serious? We just had sex Bella. What's the point of being conscientious now? I think we have gone past that point," I responded with a laugh in my voice. I didn't necessarily find it funny, but the fact that she did not feel like she could sleep in my bed, after we had mind blowing sex, was a joke to me.

She let out a huge sigh, and that time I knew it wasn't from being blissful or content. It was out of confusion, and guilt.

"Bella, please tell me you aren't regretting our night. I understand it wasn't exactly moral, and trust me I feel bad for Jake and Jessica," I paused trying to think of the right words to convey what I really wanted to say. "But I will not regret it. Our night together showed me where my true feelings lie. Those feelings are for _you, _Bella. I've been so fucking dumb to think they died all those years ago. I was so stupid to think I could just ever be your friend," I whispered the last part, and hoped she heard it, but I was actually scared about how she would respond to me. Would our time together have brought out the same feelings in her? Man, I hoped so. I had to say exactly what I was feeling or I may never get an opportunity like that to tell her what was in my heart.

"Wow, you felt it too? I was so worried it was just me, Edward. I feel so fucking guilty. I'm a married woman, and you have a girlfriend who's also one of my friends. But, I can't bring myself to regret it either. I think I've always known I was meant to be with you, but I always felt like fate had other plans for us, so I went along with everyone's expectations. Being with you tonight felt so easy, so right." She stopped suddenly, and I could hear her soft cries.

My heart was breaking. I was part of the reason she was crying and I couldn't take it.

"Bizzy, don't cry, sweetheart. Please? I'm sorry I'm causing you this pain and confusion. I'm going to come over and…" I was cut off while trying to give her some comfort.

"Stop right there, Edward," she said forcefully, "Yes I'm confused, scared and feeling guilty as hell, but I will not let you apologize to me. I was an equal participant tonight. Hell, I'm the one that fucking started it. I'm just confused on what to do from here. What _we_ do from here! Or should I say what _you_ want to do from here? I need to know, was tonight a one time thing? Do you actually want more, because my whole future depends on you?" Her tone of voice was calm by the end of her speech, but I could tell she was nervous.

_That silly girl. Did she not hear everything I had just said? Guess when you whisper shit, things get lost. _

"I know what I want Bella and it's you, but I'm not going to be naive and think it's going to be easy, and we will be skipping down the sidewalk, holding hands, with a Welcoming Committee waiting to greet us any time soon. I know there are a lot of things to deal with here, with Jake, with Jessica, with our families. You _are_ worth every single battle I will face, though. I just care about if that's what _you_ want? If it isn't, yes it will hurt to be just your friend again, but I would do it. I would put tonight in the back of my mind and pretend it never happened, if you want that Bella. But, I'd rather take on the fucking world, and make our own lives right again, _together_. It's your call." I put it all out there ready to move in whatever direction she led me.

"I want it, too, Edward," she declared, and then added, "I want you."

That was all I needed to know.

From there we discussed she would tell Jake when he returned that she wanted a divorce. Bella would come clean about what had happened between us. She said it was the right thing to do for him, and for us, to actually start a future together. I told her I would do the same with Jessica. I didn't think it would be a fun conversation, but it wouldn't be as hard as Bella's since we weren't married, or even living together.

We also talked about how we would handle being in a relationship again. We weren't in a hurry, and wanted to take it day by day. It would be an adjustment for us as well, as we learned to be a couple again and not just friends that we had tried to become. We vowed we would form a united front and deal with all the shit that would come our way.

I went to bed after that phone call feeling lighthearted and relaxed. Bella's scent surrounded me, and I couldn't wait to have it infused into my place, especially my bed, as much as possible.

It felt like I had all the pieces of my life on the table, and I was actually going to put the puzzle together correctly that time. No more pretending the pieces fit together.

Visions of us married invaded my sleep. A flash of us hosting a BBQ with our families present, there to celebrate us being a couple again, dominated my dreams.

That dream went to hell when my phone rang the next morning, waking me up suddenly.

When I was able to open my eyes enough to see '_Chief' _flash at me, it sent a panic straight through my body, as if I was being electrocuted. It was Jake calling.

Holy fuck! She told him that fast? What I am I going to say? "Sorry I slept with your wife, but I swear, I love her and will take really good care of her." Should I just get it out there even though it would be throwing salt in his wounds? "Sorry I fucked up our friendship. I really do think of you as one of my best friends. I would love to stay your friend after all this." Yeah, that would never happen.

That last thought actually made me chuckle. No way would we remain friends after that. I bet he was calling to ask where the hell I was because he and his tribe boys were on their way to kick my ass for fucking Bella.

Just as I was about to answer my phone, it stopped ringing. _Fuck!_ What do I do now? Call back or wait for the knock on my fucking door?

I laid there for a couple of minutes, torn on what to do, when it hit me.

_Time to man up, Cullen_. _You told Bella you would battle the world to be with her a few hours ago. It was fucking battle time, and your number one opponent was waiting._

I took a deep breath, and dialed Jake's number. It rang once, and he answered saying _Hello_ with an eerie, but calm, tone.

"Hey Jake, you called?" I managed to get out, matching his tone.

**A/N: OH. MY. GAWD! Why is Jake calling? Did Bella rat them out that quickly? Is Chief waiting in the driveway? So many questions will be answered in the next chapter. Chapter 2 will post on April 5****th****.**

**We have an account on PhotoBucket (link on our profile) with pictures of the characters and we will add to it as we post future chapters and introduce new people into the story.**

**We'll tell you now, this will be an E/B HEA story, although it may not seem like it right now.**

**We will post teasers on The Fictionators and TwiSherry's Pictease blogs on Mondays.**

**Thanks for reading. If you have the time, please review and we'll send you a teaser of the next chapter.**


	2. Jar of Hearts

**Please note: Most of you read chapter 1 in the FoxyFics compilation (thank you for donating to such a worthy cause!). If you didn't, make sure you go back and read chapter 1 before reading this chapter, otherwise you'll be a little lost. **

**Thank you to our beta LZTZ, and prereader tanglingshadows, for all of their help and support.**

**Disclaimer: We don't own Twilight, but it owns us.**

**Chapter 2 - Jar of Hearts**

_**Edward**_

It was amazing how a person's priorities can change within the span of a few days. The week before my mind was consumed by medical school, filled with the anticipation of a Saturday night out with guys and trying to keep Jessica off my back about making our relationship more formal but that morning the only thought which occupied my mind was Bella.

My phone call with Jake had not gone as I had expected. He was not calling to threaten to kick my ass for sleeping with his wife or even to let me know that he knew about what had happened between us. He called to tell me that Charlie had been shot and wasn't doing so well. Jake needed me to pick Bella up and drive her to Forks as fast as I could, and that he knew I was the person Bella would want to comfort her. Not only was I sickened about Charlie's condition, but I was shocked that it had seemed Jake actually realized the comfort Bella and I gave each other, versus the comfort he knew Alice couldn't give her.

I did not have time to say much to him while we were on the phone. I felt uneasy from what lingered over our heads and he didn't even have a clue about it. I just promised to get to her there quickly and did just that.

Bella was completely hysterical when I walked into their house. She was not dressed when I had arrived, still in her shirt and panties from the night before. I packed a bag for both her and Jake, and then helped her get dressed. It felt like such an intimate moment between us, I could feel how much she needed me. My touch alone was enough to calm her.

It confirmed for me that last night really did have more meaning for us than just sex. Of course I would have still done these things even if we were just friends, but it truly felt different for me. The love that floated between us was palpable. I could feel the energy in the air around us which pulsated and gave off a calming effect that we would have to rely upon during the upcoming weeks.

The drive to Forks was spent with Bella crying and falling in and out of sleep. I held her hand and whispered as many words of comfort and reassurance as I could. I kept reminding her how strong Charlie was and there was no way he would leave our world so easily. I prayed that I would be right.

When we finally pulled into her parent's driveway, Jake raced out of the door to meet us. I should have expected him to be there, but I didn't. As much as I wanted to be the one she turned to during her time of need, I knew I had to place her hand in his and allow him to take over. It went against every instinct I had, because she was mine and I was hers. Well, only until reality crept in again.

I stood there and watched him pull her into his awaiting arms, then took on the duty of whispering the comforting words that I had been in charge of during our drive.

It made me nauseous and I felt my heart crumble as it broke.

_That should be me holding her, not Jake. _

Over the next couple days everything became worse. The feelings I had were all over the place. Confusion. Loss. Guilt. Anticipation. Love. Jealousy. And more guilt. I could hardly contain myself around Bella and her family. I knew it wasn't the right time to even bring up our plans to be together, but I felt insecure every time I witnessed Jake give Bella any type of affection. Hell, the woman I loved was sitting in a chair next to her father's dying body and all I thought about was grabbing her hand and running away with her. How fucked up is that?

I kept trying to tell myself that she was playing her part; almost as if she were an actress pretending to be in love with her husband. She couldn't very well say, "I want a divorce because Edward and I plan to be together" while her dad was slowly losing his battle to live. I almost felt like I deserved some type reassurance from her; she should have been able to see I needed some comfort as well. God, I hated myself for having that mix of emotions. I was a terrible, selfish person.

Her reassurances never happened and my fears only became worse when we got the phone call in the middle of the night that, after three days of fighting for his life, Charlie had taken his last breath. Bella was heartbroken because he passed away without her being there with him. Renee had sent her home to get some sleep and she didn't make it back in time to say a final goodbye.

I was at a loss for words and lost inside my own head. I never expected to not have Charlie Swan in my life. He had been one of my biggest supporters since I was a sixteen year old punk who dated his daughter, he was a second dad to me. Charlie even understood when I broke Bella's heart in high school. When we had become friends again, he even thanked me for giving Bella a chance to enjoy her senior year and not waste it traveling back and forth to visit me. He agreed that I did the right thing for both us to succeed in our careers. Charlie once confessed to me, after he promised to lock me in jail if I ever told a living soul, that he always thought I would still end up his son-in-law one day. That was after Bella had already agreed to become Jake's wife.

I was counting on him to be on my side when the shit hit the fan over what Bella and I had done and what our plans for the future entailed.

We would no longer have him in our lives as a friend, father or husband and for lack of a better word, that just really fucking sucked. Sure, they caught the fucker that shot Charlie and he would go to jail for murder, but none of that mattered. Our lives had changed, and Charlie's presence was lost forever.

The funeral was fast approaching and I did my best to stay back from Bella, but remained present in case I was needed. It was so goddamn hard to watch Jake nurture her. I couldn't tell you how many times I wanted to tell him the truth. To pull Bella to me and go lay down with her while I held her for hours to give her some comfort. That couldn't happen though so I kept my distance.

The morning of the funeral everyone was waiting for the limos to pick us up at Renee and Charlie's house. Charlie would have hated that, by the way, but due to his status in this town the limo company insisted on taking the family to the grave site. I planned on taking my own car until Renee insisted I ride with them. She said I had always been Charlie's other son and that she would not take no for an answer. I didn't even want to question her on who Charlie thought of as his first son, as I knew it was Jake.

I heard Bella talking to Jake outside on the porch and I could not stop myself. I went into the living room and stood by the side window. The curtain was closed so they had no idea I was ease dropping. I stood as still as possible to try to prevent additional noise and cause them to realize they weren't alone. From where I was I stood I couldn't hear everything they were saying, but I had heard enough.

"_I'm so stupid Jake. I made a mistake that I will never be able to fix. It's too late and I will never be able to live with myself knowing what I've done." She choked up at the end and started to sob into her hands._

When had she told him and why didn't she let me know? She thought it was a mistake? My heart started thumping in my chest, it felt like it was being ripped out and my eyes filled up with tears that spilled over and fell down my cheeks. How could she feel that way?

Jake took her into his arms and they started to sway with each other in a perfectly coordinated and practiced movement. He cleared his throat, obviously upset as well.

"_We will get through this, Bella. I know these past few months have been tough for us, but we are husband and wife and that is what we do, we face things together and We. Will. Get. Through. This." he repeated._

_Bella started to sob harder._

My heart broke completely in that moment, and he knew and still didn't care. Jake wanted to work through this with Bella and she didn't want their divorce after all.

I was devastated and needed to get out of there as quickly as I could. I made it through the kitchen and out the back door before anyone could see me. I picked up my pace as I ran into the woods and followed the path that Bella and I made during high school. It was a path that we created to sneak out to our meadow whenever we needed to be alone.

When I found my way into the center of the meadow, amongst the flowers that had already died for the season and the trees that had lived for a hundred years, I lost it. I cried, screamed, and begged God to take her free will away and when he didn't answer, I even kicked a couple trees.

How could she change her mind?

Could she not feel how right we were together?

I lost all sense of time and I could have been out there for minutes, hours or days for all I cared. At some point I finally realized I needed to get back to my car and get the hell out of here before everyone returned the funeral. There was no way I could face Bella and Jake again.

Like I had told her a week ago, I would always do what she wanted and needed when it came to our relationship, no matter how much it killed me. I planned to remain a man of my word and stick to that. I would walk away and allow her to fix her marriage with Jake like he clearly wanted to do.

_I loved her enough to let her go._

I would continue to love her for the rest of my life and for that reason, I would not be the source of any kind of pain for her. I would have to tuck these feelings back away in my heart and pray that I could learn to deal with not being whole once again. I just hoped Jake could step up become the man she needs after all and that they could work things out, since that was what she wanted.

After I started my car I drove straight out of Forks, speeding through Port Angeles and then headed back into Seattle. I couldn't go home, though, because someone would find me and at that moment I didn't want to exist.

I ended up checking into the first hotel I came to that wasn't on the main highway so no one could find me. After I made it into my room, I took a shower hoping it would wash away my sorrows. It didn't work, of course, so I just got into the bed and closed my eyes. Bella consumed every space of my mind and it was too painful, but I could not push my thoughts away. I cried for hours and finally gave in and let sleep take me away.

I awoke to the sound of my phone beeping. I looked at it and saw that I had fifteen missed calls and several voicemails. They were mostly from my parents, but I had a few from Jessica and Jake but the one that stood out the most was from Bella.

I would not allow myself to get lost in her voice one last time as she said she was sorry and explained how she wanted to go back on our decision.

_I needed to make a clean break from her._

Without realizing what I did, I started to call the number I had dialed by heart for years and put the phone to my ear. There was only one person that could help me.

"Son? Where the hell are you? Are you ok? We've been looking for you all night long." He rushed to say without taking a breath. I could hear mumbling in the background and I assumed he was with my mom. I could not talk to anyone else, I knew he was the one person who would listen but wouldn't push me to explain my disappearance.

"Dad, I'm ok. I'm sorry you all have been worried about me, that wasn't my intention. I, um, I… I just needed some time to myself," I managed to get out without tearing up again. "I need your help, Dad."

Somehow I made it through our conversation without breaking down or even really telling my dad the truth. I would have loved to have had his words of wisdom in that situation, but I was too heartbroken and ashamed of what I had done; what we had done. I just needed to get away from everyone and everything and reprioritize my life. I needed to clear my head and lick my wounds. I had loved her for so long, and it finally felt like a relationship was within reach for us again. But then fate stepped in and tore her away before I had ever really had the chance to truly make her mine.

I explained to my dad that I needed his help transferring my residency to other hospital, far away from Seattle. Clearly he was shocked and wanted answers that I did not want to provide. I continued to be adamant that I felt like it was best for my career to move away as quick as possible. He made it clear that he didn't believe me nor support my hasty decision, but he told me he would call in some favors and see what he could arrange.

Once again my dad did not let me down, as he pulled some strings and found me a place to go.

I ended up speaking to my mom later that night and gave her some lame ass excuse on why I felt I had to leave. She seemed to except what I had said but gave me the third degree about not being at Charlie's funeral. I lied and gave the reason that I was too distraught from his death to be there. I felt disgusted with myself when she showed me some sympathy that I did not deserve or want.

Jessica took my news better than anyone. She said she wanted to leave with me, even though I didn't ask her to. She stated she was excited for a new adventure and she had a feeling that was just what our relationship needed. I was too lost in my own mind to care about anything and wasn't thinking clearly when I agreed to have her come along.

I just needed to be as far away from Seattle, and Bella, as a quickly as possible. I could deal with the repercussions later, but if I stayed in Seattle I was afraid I would lose myself.

Another week had passed when I walked through the airport on my way to Chicago. I felt my heart break with every step I took, but I made my mind go numb to the pain.

_Put one foot in front of the other._

My mind had an internal battle raging; one side said to board that plane and never ever look back. _Bella chose Jake. _One night in paradise was all we would ever have and I would have to accept that. The other side said that I was a fucking idiot. I promised Bella I would be ok with whatever decision she made and clearly I was not. I had to leave, I would suffer without seeing her but I would die if I did.

Next to my departure gate was a sign that stated, "Thank You for visiting Seattle. Come back again." The word visiting stood out to me. That's all I would be doing from now on, Seattle will no longer be my home.

I walked onto the plane with a heavy heart, but my head held high and hoped that I was listening to the right side of my brain.

**~~ E & B ~~**

_**Bella**_

_One year later_

My conversation with Jake last night went a hell of a lot better than I thought it would. He had said that he'd suspected something was going on with me and knew that we needed to make a decision about how to proceed.

I had never deserved him.

We talked about making peace with our past, so it wouldn't mess up the present. Both of us had been a contributing part of our problems.

Sure, we did not have a perfect marriage, but through our good and bad times, Jake had always been one of my best friends. We would stay that way regardless of who had made which mistake during our marriage. It didn't matter now who was guilty of adultery, who worked too many hours at the shop to avoid coming home, and who rolled over in bed to pretend they were sleeping to avoid sex. None of that mattered anymore.

I decided I needed to get my ass up out of bed and start my day. I had called Alice the night before and asked her to meet me at Starbucks. As scared as I was to tell Jake the truth, I was even more scared of her.

Alice was a frightening little monster when she wanted to be and the conversation I was going to have with her was better to have in a crowded coffee shop than in the privacy of my home. I had counted on her support almost more than anyone throughout my lifetime. That conversation would be no different.

In elementary school, the third grade to be exact, Mary Alice Brandon had been my first loyal friend. When the other kids tried to bully me, Alice was the one who got sent home from school for pushing them down in the classroom. In middle school, during our Student Council dance, Alice took off her shoe and threw it at Lauren for telling me that my dress had looked like it came from Goodwill. In high school, Alice even threatened to cut off Edward's dick if he was the reason I shed any tears after our breakup.

I laughed at those memories. Mary Alice Brandon wasn't half as loyal as the current Allie Whitlock was. Her loyalty grew deeper as she aged.

She had been the best friend that I could have ever had. I knew our conversation was going to be hard, but I also had faith in her. She would be there every step of the way with me, of that, I was sure.

The water in the shower became cold so I turned it off and stepped out to begin to dry off my body. It felt good to wash away the tears from the night before. I couldn't believe how well Jake had taken my news. I knew he hadn't been feeling well lately and worried about his reaction, but I should have more faith in him.

Once dressed for the day, I got into my car for the twenty minute drive to the coffee shop.

I ordered my chai tea and looked around. There was a table along the back wall open and I knew there was no way I wanted that one; I needed witnesses to keep Alice in line. I glanced over and found two red colored wing chairs open near the front door. Exactly where I wanted to be when I needed to distract Alice as she tried to murder me.

As I sat there clicking the top of the plastic lid with my fingernail, I tried to organize my thoughts, and more importantly at that point, just breathe. I started to regret not letting Jake come along to support me as he said he would. I told him I could handle her and that he couldn't be my crutch. I had to own up to my mistakes. Well, mistake wasn't the best word to use but I had already run out of words in my head.

The bell on the door rang and I saw Alice bounce into the shop and look around while she tried to find me. Her eyes first looked toward the back of the coffee shop where I would've sat if I was not a chicken shit. She smiled when she finally spotted me and I tried to return her smile, but somehow I could not manage it. Alice noticed my grimace and paused, she slowly took in my appearance as her eyes traveled from my face down to my tennis shoes and up again and paused at my waist. _She knew._ Somehow, little Allie Whitlock, who designed shoes for a living, but missed her calling as a psychic, already figured it out. _Damn her._

Alice walked over and what she did next surprised me. She engulfed me in a hug and told me she would always be there for me.

"I know," I whispered.

Alice kissed me cheek. "I'll be right back. If I don't get a White Chocolate Mocha into my body before we talk, then your effort to sit us next to the front door may not be enough to control me." She rolled her eyes and went to stand in line, chatting with the person in front of her.

Looking out the window while I waited for Alice to return, I watched kids with their moms, couples holding hands and just people going along with their day, some appeared happy and they probably were. Other's carried their bags and purses or wore their suits and ties and I assumed they were headed to work. One thing that I noticed was that life goes on. The sun comes up in the morning whether you want it to or not, the moon can't be stopped either. With that knowledge, I realized I couldn't make the wrong decisions I'd made recently into right ones no matter how hard I'd wished I could. The good and the bad choices made us who we were, whether we liked it or not.

"You okay, Bella?" Alice asked, pulling her chair out from under the table to sit down.

I looked up at her with tears forming in my eyes. "No," I replied, as a tear fell down onto my cheek. "No, I'm not."

"Take a deep breath and hold it. You look like you might pass out on me at any minute." Alice tried to joke and lighten the mood. "I'm a shoe designer, Bella, not a life saver."

"Okay." I did as she said.

After a minute or two of just breathing, I decided to start talking.

"Allie, I've made so many mistakes these past few years. Some mistakes seemed wrong at the time, but turned out to be good, ya know? I hope that this will be one of those." I knew that she would support me. The shock that I anticipated wouldn't last for long.

"How did this happen? I thought you were adamant not to have a physical relationship again until you guys were in a better place?" She quietly asked.

"I went to talk to him and things just happened. Sex. Sex happened," I said, embarrassed to admit that I messed up again, but could not bring myself to regret it.

Alice chuckled and said, "I get that, what I mean is, _how_ did it get to that point? No, don't answer that." She laughed at her own perverted thought. "What I really meant was, _when_ did this happen?"

"Well, you see, the thing is, we… um… we talked for a few hours, and it felt so good to be with him again, without the pressures of the past year, and I felt loved. It really feels like we've made progress and I guess I let the moment break me down. It's not like it's the first time we've had sex, you know?" I rambled, feeling defensive.

Alice rolled her eyes and laughed. "Yes, I know. You two used to go at it all the time and I get that. But, Bella, how'd did you let this happen? Didn't Jake use protection?"

"Yeah, we used a condom, but I guess it didn't work. Well, that's obvious, huh? I'm pregnant and I'm trying to be happy about it. Well, I am happy about my baby. I've always dreamed of becoming a mom, you know that. But I'm trying to be happy about having a baby with my _husband_ and I feel _so_ _fucking guilty_ about that." I began to cry. "I just can't stop feeling guilty about wishing that it was with someone else." I sobbed into my hands.

I heard her chair push away from the table and she began to rub circles on my back. "Edward." Alice didn't ask, she knew. She always knew.

"Yes, Edward." I whispered my guilty confession and cried until I had trouble breathing. Even after a year, I still missed him desperately.

Edward left the day of my father's funeral. He abandoned me when I had needed him the most, as my father had been shot the night that Edward and I confessed our true feelings to each other. We made promises then and I was going to continue on with my side of the bargain until he left me without a word. No goodbyes, no explanations, no nothing.

I had tried to call him repeatedly in the weeks that followed and he never answered my calls. Jake thought I was in mourning over the sudden loss of losing my father, and I was. I missed my dad with every ounce of my being. What he didn't know was that I had also mourned the loss of my dream of finally being with Edward again. I was consumed with grief over the loss of the two men in my life that I never wanted to be without. I may have been surrounded by blankets, pillows, flowers and cards filled with messages of love and hope, but most of all, I was covered in guilt.

Here I was being comforted by my husband who I had just cheated on, the one person I didn't deserve sympathy from. A few weeks earlier, I planned on telling him that I had sex with his best friend, my ex-boyfriend and that I was choosing Edward over him. _I was the worst kind of human being imaginable._

Jake held me for hours, made me eat and drink even when I just wanted to shrivel up and die. He told me stories about my father and held me while I cried, gasping for breath. He never left or abandoned me. Jake said he would be there with me as long as I wanted him to be.

I started going to a therapist to help me with all of my issues. She listened as I whined about myself, my husband, my bad choices, and my infidelity with Edward. There was my guilt of not being able to say goodbye to Charlie and hold his hand before he died... everything. She simply listened and gave advice when she felt compelled. The best thing she told me was that no matter how good or bad a situation was, it would always change. Be happy for the good times and learn from the bad.

I did learn.

I learned that Jake had just as many doubts about our marriage as I had, but also that, just like me, he wanted to try to fix what we could between us. We would give it our best effort and we might not be together two months, or two years, but we would try.

It had been a long road but we were doing better. I never found the right time to tell Jake about what I had done with Edward. My therapist asked me during every appointment if I'd found a way to tell him, but my answer was always the same. "No."

"You need to."

"I know." I had said that so much over the past year that I thought I would bust. I did know. Hell, every second of every fucking day the guilt ate away at me.

Jake deserved the world, a wife that did not cheat on him and that loved him with every cell which made up her body. He was more than I could have ever needed, but he wasn't _what_, or I should say, _who_ I wanted. I promised to tell my husband the truth when I found the right words. It was just that the words I prayed for never came to me when it counted. Then when I thought I could tell him, Jake would be sick again and my determination would slip away.

"Bella?" Alice asked, causing me to leave my thoughts.

"Yeah?"

"How did Jake take the news?" She asked, not referring to my night with Edward but to my pregnancy. Yes, I had told her about what had happened with Edward last year. She could read me like a book and knew that I had tears for more than just my dad.

I laughed, "Jake is excited. He knows the timing may not be right for us, but he has always wanted a family and couldn't be happier." I smiled at the memory. Jake had picked me up and spun me around in the air laughing the entire time. He kept thanking me and thanking God and said we'd be okay, we would get through that together. Jake deserved to be a dad and the news was the best medicine he could've received.

Over the past months, Jake had recurring pain in his back that we thought was the result was working on cars in his shop. His doctor was being overly cautious, they ordered some tests and we were waiting for the results.

"That sounds like him," she said. "When are you due and why am I just now hearing about this? You know I would've been there when you took the test." Alice tried to look mad but the twinkle in her eyes deceived her. I knew she wasn't upset with me. I had always been stubborn and tried to handle things on my own.

"I know, but I didn't want to bother you-"

"If you finish that sentence, Bella Black, you might not live long enough for me to plan your baby shower. You and I have been together through all the good and bad things that have come our way and have I _ever_ given you the impression that I wouldn't be there for you when you had to pee on a damn plastic stick?" She got louder towards the end of her rant and my effort to sit us in an open area had come back to bite me in the ass. All eyes were on us as I felt my blush take over my face in embarrassment.

"Allie, no, you've never made me feel that way. It's just something I had to do on my own and I'm sorry for leaving you out. If you want, we'll stop and buy another test and I'll even let you hold it while I pee on it." I laughed at my joke while I tried to distract her.

"I would like that very much," she said, calling my bluff.

I sighed. "Fine, we'll do it again together, but you're not holding it for me, got it?"

"Let's go."

An hour later we sat on my bathroom counter waiting for the test to say positive, _again_, since Alice decided to buy two tests just for the hell of it. She had said she just wanted to be sure, but I knew she just couldn't decide if she'd rather see the word _pregnant_ or the happy face when it would confirm my pregnancy, so she chose both. Typical Alice.

We waited for the happy face to appear.

"Do you have any regrets?" She asked, as she picked up the test again and huffed as she noticed the window was still empty.

"Yes and no. But I don't regret my baby." I answered, then even more quietly I continued, "I don't regret my night with Edward either."

**A/N: No way! We thought Edward was the father of Bella's baby. WTF? *evil grin* Don't you just love Allie? We do!**

**Thanks for reading. If you have the time, please review and we'll send you a teaser of the next chapter. If not, we'll see you on Saturday. Chapter 3 will be posted on April 9th.**

**Check out LZTZ's story "The Hot Corner" and tanglingshadows story "A Race Against Time" which will be completed this coming Friday! You'll thank us later!**


	3. Bless This Broken Road

**Thank you to our beta LZTZ, and prereader tanglingshadows, for all of their help and support.**

**Disclaimer: We don't own Twilight, but it owns us.**

**Chapter 3 -****Bless This Broken Road**

_**Bella**_

I loved to hate iCarly!

I had to admit Carly, Sam and Spencer were all pretty funny. I enjoyed spending time with my daughter watching it because it really was a great show. What I didn't like, or I should've said, what I hated was I had been walking around the mall for two hours looking for iCarly merchandise and spent more money than I'd intended.

Shirt. _Cha-ching!_

Lunchbox. _Cha-ching!_

Miranda Cosgrove poster. _Cha-ching!_

DVD set. _Cha-ching! Cha-ching!_

I even had to buy Miranda's new music CD. _Oh, the many joys of motherhood._

The only justification I had was that some of the money being spent came from my daughter's wallet. It was a of couple days after Christmas and she used a few of her gift cards.

Alice was the person to blame for my torture. I'd heard her conspiring with Mary Claire about getting me into the mall. Apparently, Saks was having a huge after Christmas sale and since I was the only friend who could tolerate shopping with Hurricane Alice for longer than thirty minutes, I got the phone call. I knew I needed to buy a dress for the event we planned to attend, but I wasn't ready to give in just yet.

I spent three hours after that phone call watching the hurricane and tornado, aka MC, shop until they dropped.

_More like until I drop, but whatever._

Starbucks was calling my name and if I had to suffer for one minute longer without getting a coffee into my body, I thought I might commit murder.

"Coffee," I whined to Alice. "I need some coffee, Allie. My feet hurt, my back is freaking killing me and I swear if I don't get some now I might kill you, too."

"Dramatic much?" Alice teased.

"Please? Just one little coffee. I'll be done before you know it," I begged.

"Fine." Alice sighed. "Go on ahead and we'll meet you there in fifteen, okay? My girl Claire and I have to check out the shoe department first. I need to scope out my competition."

"It's MC, Aunt Allie. I tell you all the time to call me, MC," my daughter said, frustrated with my best friend.

Jake and I had become parents to the most beautiful girl ever. She had my wavy brown hair, almond-shaped brown eyes and her dad's dark skin; she was truly adorable. And God forbid she loved sports, something I couldn't understand at all.

Her personality was the perfect mix of both me and Jake. She had my inquisitive mind, love for reading and at times my clumsiness, too. From her father, she inherited his loyalty, sense of humor and love for anything outdoors.

Alice was in the delivery room with us when she was born and I wouldn't have had it any other way. She was my rock and my strength whenever I needed her the most. Mary Claire Black was born on July Thirteenth and was named after my best friend. I remembered Alice asking me _not_ to name her Mary, but Jake and I wanted to honor the two most amazing women in our lives, Alice and Jake's grandmother, Claire.

Obviously, Alice didn't use the name Mary, so MC, who we had called Claire since the day she was born, refused to be called Mary, too. She also hated her middle name, so one day when she was around five years old she stood up in the middle of our living room, with Monsters, Inc. playing in the background, and declared herself as being MC Black! I remembered being glad she didn't ask to be called "Boo" after the little girl in the movie. MC had expected all of us to fall in line immediately, her teachers and friends included. Though it was a tough change for all of us and we slipped up, my stubborn girl had a determination that mimicked her dad's and we slowly fell into compliance with her demand.

_My sassy girl. Her nickname makes her as unique as her beauty._

"I will call you MC because you've asked me too, but that doesn't mean I won't mess up, kiddo. Be patient with me, okay?" Alice beamed down at MC as if she was looking into the eyes of her own daughter. Their connection had been strong since MC's first breath of air and I loved watching them interact with each other. If you were to ask Alice when she bonded with MC, she would tell you it was the second that happy face appeared on my pregnancy test.

"I will, Aunt Allie, as long as you keep on trying." MC giggled and rolled her eyes. She knew Alice just liked to tease her and she loved every second of her aunt's attention.

"So, meet me at Starbucks?" I asked them both.

MC walked over and gave me a hug. "Yes, Momma."

I bent down to kiss my daughter's forehead goodbye, turned and ran for my life.

I was a Principal in a middle school. I couldn't just run through a mall and have one of my students catch me. Hell, I talked to some of them every single day about slowing down and being courteous of others. I slowed my pace down to a quick walk; that was not being a hypocrite, right? Plus, it would be my luck to trip over my own two feet and leave a giant, non-caffeinated blob on the middle of the floor.

_Been there, done that. No, thank you._

As I went through the mall entrance and into Starbucks the smell of the coffee, my only true addiction, grabbed my attention. I could almost feel the hot coffee running down my throat. I shut my eyes for a brief second just to enjoy the aroma.

When I opened my eyes, I stopped dead in my tracks.

I couldn't breathe.

I could only blink.

In the distance, sitting on the patio I could see the back of a guy's head who had the most breathtakingly beautiful reddish-brown hair, poking out in every direction as if he'd been mopping the floor with it. The only person I had ever seen with that color of hair was Edward.

There was no way Edward was back. He had left Seattle, and me, close to eight years ago. I still woke up from dreams that featured him but knew that they would never become reality… even though some days I still wished that they would. _Some days? Most days._

I took a deep breathe and I felt a tugging on my shirt. Reality was where I had to keep my mind these days. There was no going back as I couldn't live in the past, when my future tugged me forward.

"Momma? Are you okay?" MC said with a worried expression.

"Oh, I'm fine. I just got lost in my thoughts for a second. Are you ready to go in?" I asked both my daughter and Alice who had a questioning look on her face. She knew something had happened to cause me to become a statue on the middle of the sidewalk.

"Bella? What happened?" My little, psychic friend asked quizzically.

"Can we talk inside?" I spoke softly.

Alice nodded her head in agreement and held MC's hand while we walked into the shop together.

As we stood in line, I couldn't stop myself from remembering the first time I had ever seen the messy haired boy.

I had waited for Alice to pick me up that lightly snowy morning in my sophomore year of high school. My old Chevy pickup truck refused to start so I no choice but to call Alice for a lift since my dad, Charlie, had already gone in to the station.

Alice was not known as the safest driver in the little town of Forks, Washington. Sure she was fun and bubbly, and was friendly and kind, but a good driver she wasn't.

As I stood on the front porch of our modest, white, two-story house waiting on her, I heard the backfire of an exhaust pipe and groaned. Tyler Crowley, Alice's boyfriend, pulled down my street in his beat up Ford Mustang and turned into my driveway. My day was ruined before it ever had a fighting chance.

I reluctantly trudged my way down the front porch steps while carefully avoiding the ice and reached the sidewalk. I heard my best friend call out a greeting to me and looked up, which for a normal person would cause no problems, but for me, my next step caused me to slip on the ice and land on my ass. My backpack, which I had neglected to zip, vomited the contents it held inside all over the slippery walkway.

I felt like curling up into a ball as I heard that jackass, Tyler, laughing at me while opening his squeaky car door. His shoes appeared within my eyesight when I had opened my eyes.

"Are you okay? Does anything hurt?" I heard a voice of a boy I didn't know.

"I'm fine, this weather really doesn't help the uncoordinated," I said as I looked up into the most beautiful green eyes I'd ever seen. I didn't even want to blink for the fear that I was dreaming and he'd likely disappear.

He chuckled and said, "Are you sure you're all right? That looked like it hurt." He started to grab my scattering papers as the wind picked up its speed.

In spite of my fear I blinked and then looked from his eyes, down to his lips that I'm sure could tell me a thousand secrets and I'd never get tired of hearing them, up to his hair. Snow covered, wet looking, brown hair with reddish highlights. As some of the snow melted from his body heat, the moisture dripped onto his forehead and ran down his face. I couldn't help myself and I reached up to wipe it away.

_Heaven._

The energy that flowed between our bodies felt like heaven, in the middle of my own personal, embarrassing hell.

That began the first night, of many nights, that I dreamt of Edward Cullen.

A clanking sound brought me out of my memory. I looked over just in time to see my daughter, who was reaching for a coffee mug, almost drop it onto the floor. Thank goodness it wasn't one of her clumsy days.

"MC Black! If you touch another mug on that shelf I will have you writing sentences once we are home." I threatened my daughter. Her body was graceful, strong and controlled; except for her hands. I had learned early on not to let her touch anything that was breakable in a store unless I wanted to buy it. When she was younger I would make her keep her hands in her pockets when we went shopping. As she got older I found that she hated writing sentences, much to my advantage.

"Sorry, Momma," she apologized.

"Just remember to keep your curious hands in your pockets if you can't keep them from touching things." I reminded her.

"Aunt Allie? I need a coffee, too."

"I don't think so, kiddo, but nice try. Do you want whip cream on your hot chocolate?" Alice questioned.

"Sure. Sure." MC answered. She reminded me of her father in that moment. Jake had said that all the time and it rubbed off on other people including her grandpa, Billy, who lived in La Push, near Forks. I made sure she maintained a strong relationship with Jake's dad through the years; he really was great to be around.

MC walked next to Alice and took her hand in hers and looked into the display case. "Can I have a marshmallow bar, too? The one on top has lots of marshmallows." She pointed to a snack that made me hungry just by looking at it. _I have to get one too._

"Me too, Aunt Allie!" I faked excitement and pretended to be my kid while I clapped my hands. MC laughed at me and that was all that really mattered.

I stepped up to place our order, including Alice's, and then went to find us a table. While I waited I chanted to myself that it was not Edward I had seen sitting on the patio.

_It was not him. It was not him. It was not him._

First of all, the Edward I had known through high school and college wouldn't be caught dead near The Disney Store let alone just sitting around by himself wasting time. He had always kept himself busy. His drive to succeed was legendary amongst his peers.

The second reason I felt it wasn't Edward was due to the fact that he had moved all those years ago. I had later found out he had ran off to Chicago.

_It was not him. It was not him._

As soon as the last coffee was in Alice's hand, she turned and made her way over to the table with MC following closely behind on her heels. Setting the snacks down, they both looked at me but remained quiet.

They knew something or someone had affected my mood. I could see the concern dominating their faces. I could not remember a time when Alice had gone that long without asking me what was wrong. Three minutes was a long time in Allie Whitlock's world.

_It was not him._

"Bella?" Her voice was raspy as she tried to hide her emotions. "What's wrong? I thought you were just going to get a coffee." She reached across the table to hold my hand.

I took a sip of my drink.

"Allie, I think I saw-"

"Momma, can I play a game on your phone?" My daughter interrupted.

"Sure, sweetie, just let me get my purse." I let go of Alice's hand and pulled my bag into my lap to grab my BlackBerry. Flipping through it to find Bejeweled, I handed over my phone. I reminded her to keep the volume at a respectable level.

Turning back to Alice and reaching for her hand again, I finished my sentence.

"Allie, I think I saw," l looked around for no other reason than to stall. I didn't want my best friend to finally figure out that I was truly nuts. I cleared my throat and continued, "I… I really think I saw him. I mean, I think I just saw Edward," finishing as I whispered his name.

"What? Where? Are you sure?" Alice started firing off questions before I could answer her, looking around for any sign of him.

"You sure it wasn't someone who just resembled him?"

"I don't know," I answered.

"What do you mean you don't know?" Alice questioned.

"Listen, I _don't_ know. First, when I saw the guy sitting in front of a store I couldn't move. I really think I didn't breathe until you showed up." I shook my head and continued while I picked at a knick in the wood table. "I just saw a guy who had Edward's hair and I only saw him from behind so it's entirely possible that I've finally cracked and lost my mind."

_It was not him._

"Mom, who's Edward?" MC asked. _Shit. Shit. Shit._

"MC, he's one of your Mom's old boyfriends," Alice answered for me since apparently your mouth stops working when you lose your mind.

"Mom had a boyfriend? I thought she just had a husband." I looked over to make sure she was all right with this information. "I mean… I thought Daddy was your boyfriend," she said it like a question.

"He was my boyfriend before he was my husband, but I had a different boyfriend before I met your Daddy," I answered not really sure what else to say.

"Really? Why'd you break up with him? Jordyn said you break up when you don't like them anymore or when they throw balls at you during recess. Did you just stop liking him?"

Why, MC? Why have you always been the most inquisitive child I've ever known? I love you, but I don't know if I can let myself go back to one of the absolutely most painful times in my life and make it back out again with my heart still intact.

In my frantic head I could still hear Alice as she mumbled, "I knew he'd come back."

On the drive home my daughter sat in the backseat of the car listening to her new iCarly CD. I tried my hardest to stop the rush of feelings that flowed through my body. The memories, especially the good ones, were the hardest to relive and most difficult to push back down. I knew that didn't make sense, but I had already known how painful it was to lose Edward from my life. There was nothing new I had to do. It hurt and sucked, the feelings stayed the same from years ago until now.

I tried to stop the good times from making their appearance because if I allowed myself to go back down that road it would feel like I'd lost him all over again.

Alice's words became the new chant in my head whether I liked it or not.

_I knew he'd come back._

**~~ E & B ~~**

_**Edward**_

There was nothing like the smell of fresh rain mixed with salt from the sea, playing in the air with the smell of fresh coffee seeping out of every corner coffee shop. It was the essence of Seattle.

It was the scent I forced myself to _not_ enjoy during the few quick trips I had made home to visit my family over the past eight years. Seattle was the smell of home, of family, and during those years away I tried not to miss _my city_. I had made up my mind to adopt Chicago several years ago and as I thought more about it, I realized that my heart never joined forces with my brain.

Change was in the air and as I took in a deep breath of fresh air, I knew Seattle was once again my home and I planned on keeping it that way. I never truly appreciated the city or, if I had to be honest, appreciated living close to my family until I convinced myself to pick up the pieces of my life, pack my pride away in suitcases, box up my worries and placed my all my failures into the trucks that were moving us back across the county on a very short notice.

It seemed like that was my style when it came to moving. Make the decision; pack up and leave. My dad casually told me about a position they were in a hurry to fill at Seattle General Hospital and that he knew the person who could make it happen for me, if I wanted the job. My dad knew all about my struggles, I thought that was his way to say '_come home and let us help_ you' without hurting my pride.

I had some big wake up calls in the past year and learned that even Superman couldn't do it all by himself.

It took me about a day and a half to weigh out the pros and cons before I told my dad I was interested. I knew it was time to give in and go home.

I had been back for four days, but today was the first day that reality really set in. My days had been filled with holiday parties with my family, and functions for my dad at the hospital as he was due to retire soon. I'd also been busy stocking up on the minor things we needed until our belongings arrived. Due to an extreme snow storm the moving truck was stuck in the middle of nowhere. We could get by for another week or so with what we carried onto the plane, but being without my car was a bitch.

Emmett insisted that I borrow one of his cars, as there was no reason for me to rent one. I was fine with that because I just needed something to get by while I was running around setting up everything for us.

Good thing for me Emmett's gym was right down the street from our new condo so I could walk there. I had forgotten how a lazy stroll through the Seattle mist felt and how much it fucking sucked to feel damp from head to toe.

When I arrived at the gym I was told by the girl at the front desk Emmett had to run an errand but that his manger, Masen, was waiting for me instead.

I waited patiently for her to go find him and took a glance around at my brother's place. He was doing well for himself; it was filled with meat heads. A ping of regret hit me because I had not been here to help him get his own business up and running or really been around for any of his life the last decade.

I really needed find a way to reconnect with my family in their every day lives since I'd missed so much of it.

They did their best to visit us in Chicago as often as possible. After Makenna was born, we started to plan annual summer vacations at various destinations. It was a way for us to stay connected during the long periods of time when our schedules didn't permit much. Even though they never asked why I shied away from trips to Seattle, I felt they knew there was a reason behind my hesitation.

I wondered if I came to the gym a couple days a week if would Emmett have time to work out with me? I had to find a common ground for us, I owed him that much.

My thoughts were interrupted as I heard footsteps behind me. I turned around to see a regular sized guy in basketball shorts and a cut off tank top walking toward me. He was not who I pictured Emmett would have as the manger; he looked more like a pretty boy than a weightlifter.

"What's up, man? You must be Emmett's famous little brother, Edward. I'm Masen, nice to meet you." He said as he stuck his hand out.

He seemed cool, but Emmett never mentioned him so I wasn't sure what he already knew about me.

"I don't know about famous, but yeah, I'm Edward. It's nice to meet you, too." I met his hand with mine and gave a firm hand shake.

"Here's the key for the truck and it's parked out back. I can take you through the employee entrance."

"Cool, man, thanks. I have a lot of shit I still need to do." I responded.

The receptionist took Masen's attention away from me momentarily. When he finished assisting her, he turned back to talk to me some more.

"I hear you just moved back to Seattle. Hey, if you need to get out and meet some new people I know some awesome places. Some have turned out to be hot spots for meeting chicks as well, if you know what I mean?"

I chucked at his comment. Meeting _chicks_ was the last thing I needed to do right now.

"Thanks. I may take you up on going out for a beer, but I've got my hands full in the _chicks_ department." I honestly replied. I wasn't looking to date as there were too many areas of my life out of control already, and adding to my worries was not an option.

"I thought Emmett said you're single. My bad." He said with a confused expression on his face.

"No, I am single, but my life is consumed by one particular little lady. Makenna is my seven year old daughter," I clarified for him, surprised Emmett didn't explain that already since it seemed like he knew all about me.

"Even better for you. Chicks dig men that like kids," he laughed at himself then continued, "This will help you out when you get back out there and start playing the field. Until then, yeah, let's get together and I can show you some of the great pubs we have around here. Emmett is always tied down at home with Rose so hanging out with one of the legendary Cullen brothers would be awesome. I've heard some wild stories about you two during college, man. Makes me wish I went to UW, too."

_Fuck!_ I wonder what stories Emmett told him. We did some crazy shit back in the day. I missed those days, when life was easy. The only decision I had to make was what frat party we were going to attend. I knew I would be tied down once I got into med school so I lived up in my undergrad years to the fullest.

"I better get going. I've got a shit load of things to get done today." I responded, figured I better get out of here or he would talk my ear off.

"Sure, man." He said then walked me out back and stopped in front of a big ass, raised silver truck. Only my brother would drive something like that in trendy Seattle.

"I'll set something up with Emmett for us to go out. Maybe you can come along to this New Year's Eve party we're going to. Actually I'm sure Em will invite you since it's for the place Rose is working now."

"Yeah, I'll be there. I already got the invite, but thanks. Guess I'll see you then." I responded as I unlocked the truck to climb in.

Masen said his goodbyes and I was off to meet my mom and Makenna for lunch.

While I drove to the restaurant I got a text from my mom that said they would be about a half hour late. I needed another cup of coffee so that worked out perfect for me.

I knew the restaurant would have black coffee, but I wanted a Caramel Macchiato from Starbucks. I knew there was one in the same shopping center as the restaurant we were headed.

I went into Starbucks, got my drink and walked to the outdoor patio where I could see my mom when she pulled up.

I grabbed the first seat I came to and I sat down to enjoy my coffee while I people watched. It was something I've learned to love. I used to do it in Chicago from time to time to clear my head when things got crazy with Jessica or school. _Everything was better here._

The shoppers didn't seem to be in such a hurry and families were out enjoying their time together. I knew that was what I needed, what _we_ needed. Makenna and I needed a place to slow down and start living the life we deserved; to be a family again with my parents and brother. Maybe one day I would be lucky enough to find someone that wanted to join Makenna and me and we could extend our own little family. To be honest, I haven't wanted that in a long time but the right time never seemed to happen for me. Even with Jessica, who was Makenna's mother, it always felt like we just played house.

I wasn't sure why Jessica and I lasted as long as we did. Before my move to Chicago I knew we wouldn't ever become serious. I was so distraught when I left, I didn't think twice as I agreed to let her follow me. I stayed in my state of depression for months. I had screwed myself with school by leaving Seattle and had to take a year off and waited to start my internship over.

Jessica found out she was pregnant which threw a wrench into everything. I had always wanted kids but not then. That all changed the day I held my baby girl for the first time. It didn't matter what I was going through or how sad I had been about Bella and leaving my family. It didn't even matter that I l_oved_ her mother, but wasn't _in love_ with her. Makenna made me become a man in that moment and I knew it was time to stop being selfish and become the father she would need. I got my shit together and pulled out of my funk, started enjoying school and allowed myself to live life again.

Jessica and I gave it our best shot for three years. I stuck it out that long because I was so busy with school that seeing her on a minimal basis was easy. Right after Makenna's third birthday we had a heart to heart talk and both admitted we knew we would never become more.

A flash of long, brown hair caught my eye bringing me back to reality and I turned my head to follow it. Before I could even blink my body was engulfed by my daughter. I laughed at my little girl who made any melancholy moment brighter.

"Kenni Bear, you trying to scare your old man again?" I said as I pushed her hair from her face to see her eyes.

She nodded her head with a smile and leaned in to hug me sweetly. I gave her a big, bear hug like I knew she wanted. I missed her and she wasn't even away from me for twenty- four hours. I couldn't help it, she was my life and for the last year it had been basically been just her and I.

"I missed you, baby. Where's Nana?" I asked realizing my seven year old just strolled over to me without an adult and she knew better; I'd instilled in her you never stray away from an adult.

"I'm right here, Edward." My mom answered for her then put her hands on her hip and gave me a little huff. "You think I don't know how to parent or something? Like I didn't raise two crazy boys that would run separate directions just to see how fast I could chase them while I was going out of my mind thinking one of you would get lost. I was right behind her watching her every move, Son, and you just didn't see me because you were so lost in your thoughts." I glanced up at her, she raised her eyebrow and gave me that all knowing look. God, I'd missed her.

"Sorry Mom. I just get nervous when it comes to my daughter. There are some crazy people in this world," I sheepishly responded, feeling as if I had doubted my mom. I didn't, but it was just as I said, there were fucked up people and I would hate to miss out on Makenna's life for going to jail if any one of those crazy fuckers tried to get to close to my daughter or worse, tried to harm her. Yes, I may be a tad bit over protective, but what parent wasn't? It had become worse in the last year since I'd become her primary caregiver; when she wasn't with her nanny.

"It's okay, honey. I get it; being worried about your child's well being especially in a new and busy area is part of being a parent." She sat down in the chair next to me while I snuggled Makenna a little more, loved the way her little body molded to mine.

"Now, you want to tell me what had you a million miles away?" She asked.

I shook my head. No reason to let her know how much I missed being in Seattle or apart of her every day life.

I already vowed to myself to make it up to my family the only way I could. I would have to show them how much I loved them a little each day and how much I regretted leaving them behind.

There was no more looking back; only moving forward.

It was time I started living my life again.

**Thanks for reading. If you have the time, please review and we'll send you a teaser of the next chapter.**


	4. Tick Tock

**Thank you to our beta LZTZ, and prereader tanglingshadows, for all of their help and support.**

**Disclaimer: We don't own Twilight, but it owns us.**

**Chapter 4 - Tick Tock**

_**B**__**ella**_

"Benjamin and Liam Whitlock, what have I told you about running up and down the stairs?" Alice asked, and the thundering of elephants stopped. "And you, Miss Mary Claire Black, I thought you were keeping an eye on them for us?"

MC rolled her eyes and looked at me. "Mom, you're the only one they listen to. Can't you tell them to stop?"

"Boys, you need to stop running around this house and find something quiet to do or you're not going to like it when you have to sit in timeout, got it?" They looked at one another, a silent communication passed between them, and then they nodded and agreed to behave. _I didn't believe them one bit._

Those two boys, Alice and Jasper's sons, were like my own. I was there every step of the way for each of them and watched in awe as they both made their way into the world a year apart. Ben was going on four and just like his mother. His shaggy cut dark brown hair, hazel colored eyes and a playful personality made him a joy to be around. Liam had just turned two years old and shared the same features as his father. He was a blond haired, blue eyed sweet boy who loved to play with his mom's long brown hair; content to sit on Alice's lap and twirl her hair around his fingers.

They made the world a better place.

The remainder of the afternoon was spent in relative calmness. The kids played, sang, watched TV and for one very peaceful hour, they even took a nap. Not MC, of course, but they boys were exhausted.

Jasper had been at his new sports bar, The Hangover, all day preparing for his grand opening, while Alice prepared me. I'd been showered, scrubbed, exfoliated, had both a mani and a pedi, then she wanted me to agree to a wax, but I held my ground. No one would see my lady bits tonight, not that I didn't get the offer, but tonight was about supporting Jasper, not my stalled sex life.

I've had a few boyfriends over the past years; however none ever worked out. Usually I was the one that ended the relationship. Just like in my marriage, I could feel the absence of that spark of electricity I had only ever felt with _him_.

"I think I'm going to be nice to you tonight. I'm giving you the choice as to whether you want your hair pulled up or left down. What do you think? Either way you'll look hot in your dress." Alice pranced around the bathroom, gathering her tools. _Hhmm, it looks like she's readying herself for war._

"I get a choice? How nice of you to ask." I rolled my eyes. "Let's leave it down, but I want it straight, not curly." I said as she put the curling iron away and reached for the flat iron.

"I knew you'd say that and I agree. Your hair is beautiful when it's down. So, not to change the subject, but how are you feeling about seeing Edward?" she asked, and knew it was a subject I'd avoided discussing since then.

"Allie, I still don't think it was him. He can't be the only guy in the world with that fucked up shade of hair. Besides, he's lived in Chicago for years."

"Well, if it was him, what would you do? Or say? I know you've always held back with other guys because of him," Alice said knowingly.

What would I say? Would I tell him I thought he was a world class liar? Or that he broke my heart so bad that I did not think it will every work right again? Did he deserve to know that I wished it was him who had comforted me after my father was gunned down, but when I needed him the most he disappeared? _No, he didn't deserve a damn thing from me._

"You know, Allie, if I ever see him again I just want to know why? Why he said he wanted me and then left? Why he wasn't man enough to tell me to my face? Why he slept with me and made me a whore to begin with? Why he did that to his best friend's wife? Just, _why_?" The desperation to contain my tears had become harder in the past forty eight hours after seeing his resemblance in a total stranger. It caused all the memories and feelings I had repressed over the years to resurface.

Suddenly, the beige walls of Alice's bathroom were closing in around me; I needed to get up and find my peace. I needed my daughter because she was the only person who made the hole in my chest close.

"I need a minute. I'll be right back." I turned to leave and found my way into the family room where MC sat watching iCarly.

"Hey, kiddo. You need a snack or anything? The boys will be awake soon and I don't mind making something light now and then you can eat more once they're up." She looked up into my eyes and my reason for living once again grounded me. I loved her more than my own life.

MC reached up and rubbed my cheek, I was sure she could sense something was wrong. "Sure, Momma. Can I have an apple and peanut butter?"

"Absolutely. I'll be right back." I turned my head and kissed the palm of her hand and walked into the kitchen. If it wasn't for Jasper and his culinary skills, there would not be food to eat. Jasper had been a stay at home dad since Ben was born. Alice made enough money from her shoe designs and they both agreed they'd rather raise their children themselves than have to rely on someone else. When he decided he wanted to open a bar, Alice was there every step of the way supporting him. Ying and yang. They were the strongest family I knew.

As I finished peeling the apples and began to cut them, Alice came up from behind me and wrapped her arms around my waist to hug me tight. With her chin on my shoulder she said, "It's okay to still have feelings for him, Bella. I understand more than anyone that you were ready to give up everything with Jake and move forward with Edward. You don't have to pretend with me. You're the strongest person I've ever met. Between your dad and Jake both dying and having to be a single mom, you've never faltered in your career path and you're the best mom MC could ever have. Be proud of yourself and accept that you're allowed to be human."

I began to cry. Turning around in Alice's arms and holding her as if my sanity depended on it.

"Shh…shh…shh. It's ok. Just let it out."

"You know, it just pisses me the fuck off that he walked away like I meant nothing. But what pisses me off the most is that it happened before when we were in high school and did I learn my lesson? No, I let him back in again. What the hell was wrong with me? Tell me because I don't have a fucking clue."

"You love him and there's nothing wrong with that. You both gave each other a piece of your hearts and that's not a gift that can be taken back easily. Just because you dealt with your feelings about Edward years ago doesn't mean they can't creep back up every now and then. Its normal, if they didn't then I would think they weren't as strong as you thought they were. Now, dry your tears while I give my goddaughter her snack and get your ass back upstairs because I still need to fix your hair and make-up. You need to get dressed while I finish getting ready. The babysitter will be here soon and then we're off to the opening. I'm so excited." Alice finished saying with a bounce.

"Thanks, Allie and you're right. I'll see you upstairs."

Three hours later I found myself dancing with a complete stranger on the black and white checkered board style dance floor; well not quite a stranger. His name was Masen and he was the manager of Emmett Cullen's gym.

Apparently Jasper's new bar manager, Rose, just happened to be Emmett's current girlfriend. Rose introduced us when we arrived an hour earlier. I had a mini mental freak out about seeing Emmett again. I was never close to him, but he was Edward's brother.

What if he brought up Edward and Jessica? I didn't think I could handle hearing about how happy they were.

What if Edward had told him what happened between us? I really didn't want to have to defend myself on that one either. Or what if Edward was not mentioned? Did I even want to know about him?

Thanks to Rose I didn't have too long to freak out. She invited Masen over and he had been flirting with me ever since.

On all accounts Masen was a _very_ handsome guy. He had brown hair and blue eyes, a strong chiseled jaw line and dimples. He wore a light blue button up dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up, along with a pair of dark denim jeans that showed off his perfect ass. Then, to catch my attention even more, I realized he wore a nice pair of Nike's giving him the "I-know-I-look-good" aurora. I loved a guy who knew how to dress casual. If he added a tie, I would have married him on the spot.

After the third time he asked me to dance, and Alice's second appeal, I finally gave in.

"So, what do you do, Bella?" Masen asked as I felt his hands lightly tracing my bare spine from my hips, under my hair and up to the back of my neck. It felt too intimate for me at the moment, but I didn't stop him.

"I work at a middle school as the Principal. So Rose said you work with Emmett?" I asked and couldn't resist feeling his biceps. _Again._ My thumbs continued to rub them without thought.

"Wow, so you really know how to handle kids, huh? There's just something about women with kids that I find myself being attracted to." He added a wink and I melted a little.

The neon lights that wrapped around the poles throughout the bar created a diamond affect on Masen's skin and made it appear to be sparkling. It was dazzling.

"You do, huh? Well then, I have about 800 students, plus one at home. That doesn't scare you away?" What am I doing? Did I just try to flirt back? I think I did, but it wasn't a very good first attempt. "Any normal man would be scared away from a woman with 801 kids that she's responsible for and think she's not worth the effort. But just so you know," I bought my hands up around his neck, "I'm very much worth the effort," I whispered in his ear.

"I don't doubt it. You're beautiful and smart, too. I think I would be up for the challenge." He started to bring his lips down to mine and I suddenly felt a pull on my arm. I looked around to see who had interrupted what I was sure would have been a wonderful first kiss, to find Alice looking at me with a panicked expression.

"Allie, what's wrong?"

"Sorry to interrupt, but I need to steal Bella for a minute. You don't mind, do you Masen?" Alice asked while removing my arms from around Masen and slowly pulled me away.

"I won't mind as long as you bring her back to me quickly, Allie. We were just getting to the good part." I smiled up at him. I couldn't wait to get back to the good part either.

"I'll be quick. Save my spot?" I was a terrible flirt, but hot damn if he didn't lean down and give me a quick kiss on the lips. I felt myself blush and let myself be dragged away from him.

As Alice pulled me down the hallway of the bar I took a second to notice all the sports memorabilia that hung on the walls. Jasper had created the perfect atmosphere; pool tables, dart boards, out back there was a basketball court for the warmer months. For the ladies there was a small, old-fashioned dance floor, which I couldn't wait to get back to.

We entered the bathroom where a few women stood in front of the mirror and made our way into the handicapped stall. Once inside, Alice locked us in.

"What the hell, Allie? You're the one that kept telling me to get up and dance and then you pull this crap. What's wrong?"

"I needed to get you out of there and quick. I'm sorry for interrupting what I'm sure would've been a great kiss but Bella, I saw him." Alice looked at my face and waited for my reaction.

"Saw who? What are you so worked up about, little one?" I teased her because she had always been a little overly dramatic.

"_Him_, Bella. Edward is here. I just looked over and saw him watching you dance with Masen," she said a little panicked which wasn't like her. "He looked like someone just killed his puppy, too."

"Edward?"

"Yes, Edward."

"But-"

"No buts, here, Bella. Edward Cullen just saw you dancing and flirting with Masen and saw him kiss you goodbye. It's great, huh?" Alice giggled. "Nothing like making the boy jealous again right from the start."

"No, Allie, this is not great. I can't do this right now, and I'm not ready for this! Please just tell Jasper to throw his ass out of the bar. He's not welcomed here!" I started to yell towards the end of my own overly dramatic rant. _Guess we're more alike than I cared to admit._

"Did you just stomp your foot?" Apparently I was pretty funny because Alice was laughing and I didn't find anything humorous.

"Alice Whitlock. Stop laughing and help me. What the hell should I do?"

"Okay, here's what you're going do…"

Five minutes later I found myself looking toward the bar and watching Edward talk with Emmett, Masen and Jasper. I noticed that although Edward was contributing to their conversation, his eyes traveled around the room in what I could only think were his attempts to find Jessica.

Suddenly, my breath caught as his eyes met mine. Without a word to his buddies, he began walking towards me, never breaking eye contact. He was just as I had remembered him. Tall, messy hair, dressed in jeans and a vintage Guns N' Roses t-shirt and gym shoes. He walked towards me with a determination I hadn't seen in years.

"Bella, it's really you? I thought my mind was playing tricks on me for a minute. You look beautiful. How are you?"

He smelled great too.

I paused. Not to catch my breath, even though I probably needed to, but to let my mind catch up. What did Alice say? Oh yeah, _play it cool_. That was her great advice? Yep, that was it and it didn't do any fucking good because I couldn't speak.

Edward continued, "Hey, are you okay? Can I get you some water or something?" Then it happened. I felt a peace come over me that I hadn't felt in almost a decade. He had reached out to grab my wrist and in his touch was the slight electric hum between us that I had craved for years.

"I'm fine. It was nice to see you." I pulled my wrist out of his hand and instantly felt the loss. "I'm just going to go back over to my date. Have a great night." I turned away from him and started to walk towards the bar. I didn't know why I lied about having a date, but it felt good to say even though it wasn't true.

"Bella, wait! Please…just give me a second," he said, sounding a little desperate.

"No, Edward. You don't get to have another second with me. I'm not ready to have this conversation here and now, so you're just going to have to suck it up and watch me walk away from you this time. It's something you're good at!" I turned and tried to find Alice. At the last second I looked back and said, "Happy New Year."

With that I was off to the bar. I seriously needed a drink _now._

**~~E &**** B~~**

_**Edward**_

"Daddy, just stay here with me." Makenna cried as she was clinging to my leg. She had been pleading with me for the last ten minutes to stay with her instead of going out with Emmett.

She was breaking my heart but I knew I needed to spend some time with my brother and I actually did want to enjoy New Year's Eve. It would be the first time I did something with just adults in a long time.

I reached down to take her hand in mine and walked us to the couch where I sat her in my lap. I stroked her brown hair to calm her as I had since she was a baby. She was a reflection of me, except for her hair color; although you could find copper highlights mixed throughout. When I brushed her hair away from her face I noticed once again how similar our green eyes were; not only did we share the same shape, color and curled eyelashes, but we shared tears too. _Please, baby, don't do this now. You're breaking my heart._

"Baby, remember Nana wants to have a special girl's night with you and Uncle Emmett said he would keep me out of your way, you know, since I'm not a _girl_? I will be here first thing in the morning and we can do whatever you want." I slowly rubbed her back as I reminded her when I would return.

"But…but…we always eat junk food and try and stay up until midnight together, Daddy." She sniffled and it broke my heart a little bit more. _Was I doing the right thing?_

"Makenna," My mom chimed in, "we can do that, sweetheart. It's our first New Year's Eve together and I was hoping you could share with me what you and your Daddy's traditions are since Grandpa is working tonight. Maybe we could read together to pass the time, too. I bought you a new Amelia Bedelia book." My mom said calmly and gave me a little wink. She was silently telling me it would be ok and I was doing the right thing.

"That sounds like so much fun, Kenni Bear. You can show Nana how you like to make different voices for each character," I responded.

Makenna loved to read. After I taught her, it was one of the things we did together often with her favorite stories. We would switch off pages and take turns narrating. The more proficient she became the more she wanted to read to me. She loved bringing each character to life using various voices and I loved watching her imagination grow.

"Ok. I guess we can do that, Nana." Makenna said as she finally gave in to the idea of _letting_ me go out. I bent down with a smile on my face and kissed her forehead.

I felt like I was sixteen and just got permission from my parents to go out with my friends.

That thought made me chuckle to myself. Makenna owned me in every way. If she would have been adamant that I stayed home with her, I would have. My daughter always came first, it was that simple.

I gave my goodbyes with a promise to be back for breakfast.

I was driving tonight so I would have to keep my drinking under control and I was fine with that. My partying days were over and I'd learned not to cross the line between having more than a couple drinks to loosen up and getting hammered.

When I pulled up to Emmett's house he was waiting outside for me and I wasn't surprised. He was always up for a party and probably bitch at me that he should have been on his third round of drinks by now.

"Where the hell have you been? Rose is going to be so pissed we are not there already," he said as soon as he opened the passenger door and jumped in. Maybe my brother really had found his match? Someone he thinks about more than himself.

"Sorry, bro, Makenna wasn't happy about me coming out and Mom and I were trying to convince her they were going to have more fun without me," I answered as I backed out of his driveway.

"You should have told her you needed to go out tonight to look for a step-mommy for her." He wagged his eyebrows and let out a loud laugh.

"I'm not looking for a woman tonight, Em." I groaned before I continued. "I need to get my shit together before I can even think about dating."

"Who said anything about dating? No harm in finding someone to help you welcome the New Year and break in your condo afterward." He thought he was funny; I didn't. I shot my brother a dirty look as we pulled up to a red light.

"You know I don't do casual sex anymore." I gave him a pointed look.

"Why the fuck not, Edward? You're young, single and I'm not trying to sound like a pussy, but you're descent looking. It's normal to get out and meet people. Get laid every now and then and move on," he suggested casually.

I had never considered anything with Bella casual, but after enjoying that much pleasure in one night and having it ripped away from me the next, I knew I needed more of a commitment from a woman to have a sexual relationship with her.

"All right, so forget about a hook up. Why don't we have Rose introduce you to someone? She has a ton of hot friends. Matter of fact I bet she invited her friend Rachel tonight. She has a smoking body; if I didn't have Rose I would try and get a piece of that. She's a lawyer so she's all smart and refined like you." He punched my arm trying to lighten my mood.

I kept driving and stayed quiet for a minute pondering his idea.

"I guess I do need to give dating a try again. I know not every woman will turn out to be crazy like Lauren did." I shook my head in disgust.

About a year after Jessica and I split I started to date Lauren. We took our time and it slowly became serious. I wasn't ready to propose or anything, but I thoroughly enjoyed her company and felt like maybe in time we would get there. One day out of the blue she turned fucking crazy on my ass. She accused me of sleeping with our nanny, Jessica and even the nurses at the hospital. None of that was true, but she wouldn't drop it. I hung in there a while thinking she needed more reassurances. Then she started complaining I spent too much time Makenna and she wanted me to see if Jessica could take her every weekend. I broke up with her that night, and I would never let anyone come between me and my daughter.

"Just give me some time Emmett and I promise to ease up and start seeing what's out there soon." I pleaded with my brother to understand. He knew about Lauren, but never really understood the struggles I have had with women. He never knew that years ago I forced my heart to permanently give up a piece of itself, and it caused me to feel incomplete to this day.

I continued to drive through the streets of Seattle in silence. Emmett must have sensed my hesitation and decided to give me a break.

He ran his hand over the sleek wood grained dash clearly enjoying the smooth texture. "Now I know why you didn't like my truck so much. This is a sweet ass ride, my brother," he said as he started hitting buttons on the center console making my radio roar to life.

A smile crept on my face. That was a subject I could talk about all night; I was in love with my car. It was a '09 black Infiniti QX56. I bought it as an early Christmas present to myself a couple weeks before I found out about the job here. I loved the sleek look of the outside, the soft leather seats and smooth feel of the dashboard.

"It is pretty fucking sweet, huh?" I beamed proud of my purchase.

I reached Jasper's bar a minute later and drove up to the valet. Before I got out I caught Emmett looking toward the back of the car since it was illuminated by the overhead light.

"Yeah, it is sweet. One question for you though, why the fuck did you buy a big ass, flashy looking, soccer mom car when there are only two of you?" He shook his head at me.

I shrugged my shoulders not really having an answer for him as I locked up and we walked to the entrance. We could hear the music coming out the doors indicating the party was in full swing.

As we walked inside I took in everything the bar had to offer. That was the perfect place. It had everything any man would want and gave off a hip, older vibe. Jasper was one ass smart business man.

Before we even made it two feet inside the door Rose assaulted us. She walked straight up to Emmett with her hands on her hips and fire it her eyes.

"Where the fuck have you been, Emmett Cullen? I told my boss he would be meeting my boyfriend an hour ago." She was clearly pissed and I felt bad since it was my fault.

"Sorry Rose, it's actually my fault. Makenna was having some issues tonight and I couldn't just leave her so I was late picking him up." I answered for Emmett trying to keep him out of the dog house.

She didn't respond, but looked back and forth between my eyes and Emmett's making sure what I said was the truth and that I wasn't just covering for him.

Rose took a deep breath and I could see the fire leave her eyes. I decided in that moment I didn't want to ever be on her bad side.

"That's ok, Edward, I understand. Your brother here tends to get caught up doing stupid shit so I've got to keep my eye on him." She huffed.

Rose started walking back over to the bar area when she stopped and called over her shoulder to us. "Oh I forgot to tell you, there's this girl here with Jasper's wife that I guess you knew from back in the day."

"Really? Who is it?" he asked. Knowing my brother he was sweating inside wondering if it was some girl he had a one night stand with. I couldn't wait to see how it played out if it was. Talk about watching Reality TV.

"Her name's Bella Black and she seemed really sweet and cute. I introduced her to Masen and they seem to be hitting it off _really _well." She pointed to a couple on the dance floor as she responded.

My eyes followed her hand and the moment they landed on them laughing and kissing, my body froze.

Bella Black.

My Bella.

_She'__s here?_

A blond guy approached us, and by the bits and pieces I knew, I figured out it was Jasper.

I think I was introduced; I may have shaken his hand, but I had no idea if I even said _hello_.

I could hardly breathe. Bella was in the same building as me.

I mean, I've only thought of her practically every day since I'd left Seattle. I even wondered if our paths would cross when I decided to move back, but never in my wildest dreams did I think it would happen that quickly and under those circumstances.

Even though I wasn't prepared to face her yet, there was no way in hell I would leave tonight without talking to her. My eyes went back to the dance floor to seek her out again, but she wasn't there. I frantically started looking around for her because I wanted to see her again; more importantly I had to talk to her.

A couple minutes past and I didn't see anyone that even resembled her. Just as I was about to start walking around to find her I looked to my left, my eyes went straight to hers and I thought my heart stopped beating. She was walking straight toward us with Alice in tow.

It had been years since I'd seen Alice and she was just as beautiful as I remembered her. She looked like she was smirking at me and I didn't understand why.

My heart pounded in my chest at just the sight of Bella as she was even more gorgeous than I remembered. Time had been nothing but good to her.

Her body was definitely curvier. The dress she wore showed every curve her body had and she looked sexy as hell. Her face still glowed just like it always did, but yet her features looked as if they were more defined. She looked like an angel. My Bella had become the beautiful woman I had always known she would. There was a timeless beauty about her; regal and elegant and a dream-like essence to her, yet she'd haunted my dreams for the past eight years.

Without even realizing it or thinking out what I would say to her, I started walking towards her. It was if my body was drawn to hers and knew she was the girl that held the long lost key to my hopes and dreams.

When I reached her I took a deep breath and started saying the first thing that came to my mind. Being in her presence calmed me, yet my body soared with excitement.

I knew if I was ever privileged enough to speak to Bella again, I would have a lot of apologizing to do.

Her body flushed and she didn't look like she felt well, so naturally my hand went out to touch her, to see if she was ok or needed some water.

When my hand touched her wrist, the spark that I had longed to feel again jolted me.

I tried to get it all out by letting her know what I thought and how I really wanted to talk to her, but she wanted nothing to do with me. I shouldn't have been surprised by her response, but it was as if I was shot. _You don't get to have another second with me._ I could feel the dull pain as her words rolled through my mind like a train engine; it hurt so fucking bad.

I would not get the chance to apologize and I didn't even deserve it.

She walked off going straight to the bar. I watched as she downed a couple of drinks huddled close to Alice with her arms waving in the air as she spoke. I remembered teasing her in high school that if she sat on her hands, she wouldn't be able to speak.

I may not have been around Bella in years, but I knew her well enough to know she was pissed. She was past the point where she would see reason and actually hear me out. The best thing I could do is to let her cool down for awhile. I would stay here all night if I had a chance to talk to her again.

Emmett came up to talk. He could tell I was freaked out about something, but didn't push me and he suggested we take a seat at an open table in the back. I tried to pay attention to whatever was on the big screen TV, but I couldn't focus on anything besides the beautiful woman whose heart I knew I had broken many years before.

After not speaking to Emmett in who knows how long, he left me alone. I watched her every move waiting to see her go towards the front exit so I could chase after her. As I sat there I replayed our exchange. She said she had to get back to her date.

_Her date?_

Why would she call Jake that? Speaking of Jake, where the hell was he and why haven't I seen him yet? He would never let Bella go out for New Year's Eve without him but, more importantly, why the fuck did she kiss another man?

Just as I came to the conclusion that something wasn't right with her statement, I could hear the crowd start to count down towards midnight.

_**Seven **_

_**Six**_

I started to look around to see where everyone was.

Alice was close to the front of the bar with Jasper. They both were facing one another just gazing into each other's eyes.

_**Five**_

_**Four**_

Emmett and Rose were near the front, his body was leaned into hers whispering into her ear as her lips held a smirk, clearly intrigued with what he was saying.

_**Three **_

_**Two**_

My eyes found Bella who was in the center of the dance floor with a man's body wrapped around hers and he was going in for a kiss already.

_**One**_

I couldn't even blink. I watched Bella's heated kiss and realized what Rose had said earlier. _She introduced Bella Black to Masen and they were hitting it off._

Masen? The dude from Emmett's gym? _What the fuck?_

That was it. I had to speak to Bella and get some answers and say what I've wanted to say since the minute I knew she was there.

I walked up behind them and shouted out an, "Excuse me" while yanking her arm to pull her away.

When we made our way to the side of the dance floor where it wasn't as crowded, Bella stopped dead in her tracks and pulled her arm out of my grip then crossed them in front of her.

"Excuse you, Edward, you don't have a fucking right to interrupt me." She glared.

"What the fuck are you doing, Bella? Where in the hell is Jake?" I fired back at her.

**A/N: Who the fuck does Edward think he is? What would you do or say if you were Bella? Who doesn't love a vintage G N' R t-shirt?**

**Don't forget to check out our PhotoBucket. We've added pictures of your favorite characters, including Masen. He has already been claimed by both jadsmama and tanglingshadows, so if you really want a night with him, good luck. Bring your boxing gloves; it'll be one be one hell of a fight. *ladysharkey1 grabs her lawn chair to sit back and watch the fight***

**Thanks for reading. If you have the time, please review and we'll send you a teaser of the next chapter. Chapter 5 will post next week.**


	5. You Give Love a Bad Name

**Thank you to our beta, LZTZ, and prereader, tanglingshadows, for all of their help and support.**

**Disclaimer: We don't own Twilight, but it owns us.**

**Chapter 5 - You Give Love a Bad Name**

**_Bella_**

_Shock!_

Did he really not know?

It felt as if I had been sucker punched in my gut. I bent over and placed my hands on my knees as I tried to catch my breath. _Why is it so hard to do?_

A strange hand gripped my shoulder and I heard muffled voices all around me which blended in with the music that pounded in my ears, but I had to ignore everything. I felt as if I was suffocating. The guilt I tried to suppress for years was raging inside of my head.

In the time since Jake passed away and with help fromAlice, but mostly my therapist Dr. Gerandy, I had made peace with my actions. I knew what I did with the man who stood in front of me was wrong on every level. As long as I accepted that I was a human capable of making mistakes I could forgive myself. I had forgiven myself.

_I have forgiven myself, right?_

Yes, I had. It wasn't a walk in the park and it took countless hours of reflection, discussion and acceptance to make me finally realize that I could forgive myself for betraying my husband. The past cannot be changed.

With that thought running through my mind, I was able to take a deep breath, then another. Each breath calmed me and I felt my body relax and my thoughts slow down.

I let go of my knees and stood up to face Edward.

"Edward, this isn't the right place or time for us to have this discussion, but I think there's a few things you need to know before you judge me. Can we go sit down in the back?"

"Baby, I don't think that's a good idea."

My head whipped around to look at Masen.

_Baby? Is he talking to me?_

I reached out to touch his shoulder. "I'm sorry, but I need to talk with Edward now. This is really important to me. Maybe I'll see you later?" I asked, not wanting to cause more of a scene than we already had.

"If you need me I'll be sitting at the bar, okay?" Masen said as his eyes flicked up to Edward's in warning.

"Yeah, okay. Thanks."

I turned and walked towards the breakroom in the rear of the bar. Before I made it very far, I felt Edward reach up and grab my wrist.

"Bella, what's going on? Please talk to me," Edward said in a desperate tone with no traces of the anger from a few moments ago.

I stopped and turned around to face him. I noticed we were in the same hallway near the restrooms with all the memorabilia hanging on the wall. As I starred at a picture of Tiger Woods, I gathered my thoughts.

"I know I don't have the right to ask anything of you after what I did, but if you just let me…" Edward's voice trailed off to a whisper. I barely heard him over the sound of the music and the banging of the pool balls coming from the billiard room.

Bringing my eyes from Tiger's to his, I reached for his hand. I didn't know why, but I felt as if he would need my friendship during my revelation. I knew I was about to hurt him because no matter what had happened between us, Edward and Jake had been close.

"Jake's no longer around," I said waiting for him to catch on to what I meant. It was still hard for me to say he died.

It didn't work because he responded, "No longer around? When did you divorce? I thought you guys were going to work on your marriage?"

"What does that mean, Edward?" I said as my voice was suddenly loud. "What the hell are you talking about? Better yet, I don't even want to hear it." I started to walk down the hallway to the breakroom.

"Hey, stop!" Edward yelled over the music, "I said stop, Bizzy!"

"Don't you dare call me that, you hear me? You no longer have the right to call me by anything other than my name. If you want to get any answers from me, you will shut your mouth and follow me, got it?" I turned and walked with Edward right behind me. As we entered the room, he sat down at the small table near the time clock with me sitting opposite.

I can't believe he had just called me that. My nickname was given to me in high school after some fellow classmates made fun of me for always being in the library. Edward defended me and told them they I would never succeed at the level I would because at least I was busy studying. From that day on, Edward called me _Bizzy_.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you and using a name that no longer appeals to you. I'm just so fucking confused, Isabella. Please tell me where Jake is," Edward pleaded.

"I'm sorry to tell you this, but Jake has been gone for four years. Jake passed away."

I could remember the day like it was yesterday. The hospice nurse had guided us through the stages of dying over the past several days. I had asked her how much time Jake had left while sitting in the kitchen with Jake's father for support.

For the two weeks prior to that conversation Jake had been restless, irritable and agitated; constantly tossing and turning in our little room at Billy's house. When he wasn't sleeping, I tried to bring our daughter to visit him. She was the love of his life; his reason to hold on as long as he had. Near the end, he no longer recognized me, Billy or Claire and with me holding his hand and our family surrounding him, he slowly left our world.

He died seven months after we'd finally received the diagnosis. However, his kidney cancer had begun to metastasize to his lymph nodes and liver by that time. We tried several treatments and he fought hard for his life but fate had different plans for him.

On a cold day in March, I buried my husband and promised to take care of his daughter the way that we had promised we would from day we learned I was pregnant. He was only given less than two years with his Claire, but he made sure that every second counted. I could not have asked for a better father for my daughter.

The tear that ran down my cheek brought me back to Edward. He sat with his head resting on his arms while leaning onto the table. As he shook his head back and forth I could hear him talking.

"No, no, no, no, no, not Jake. Bella, no."

"Shh, Edward. I know it's hard, but he's at peace now."

"Oh, God, this can't be happening. Oh, fuck," Edward cried out.

At the sound of his despair, I rose up out of my seat and stood in front of him, grabbed his hand and pulled him up from his chair. For the first time in eight years I wrapped my arms around Edward and held him.

"Edward, shh. Just try to breath." I could feel his body shuddering with his silent cries. I could no longer hold back my tears.

Without thought, we began to sway as we comforted each other. I remembered the days after Jake died and wished that my friend, _our friend_, was there to help me mourn. I lay in bed for weeks and cried for my husband; the loss of our life together that we had valiantly fought to rebuild, and for my daughter to always remember that her father loved her.

The seconds seemed liked minutes as we came back to reality.

"You okay now?"

"Not really. What happened?" Edward asked.

"Bella?" I heardAliceas she opened the door. "What's going on you guys?" She looked back and forth between us as we pulled apart.

"Can we talk about it later, Allie?"

"Are you sure?" She questioned with nothing but concern painted across her face.

"I'm sure. Can you give us just a second, please?" I used my hand to gesture between me and Edward, still shocked that he was even here.

"Okay. I'll wait for you up by the bar then." She left the room and closed the door behind her.

"I've got to go. Allie has a gift she's going to give her husband. He's worked so hard and I need to be there to support them." I fidgeted with the material on my dress as I looked around nervously.

"Yeah, I understand. I just want to say that I'm sorry I wasn't there and I would like to talk to you more about it, but I know this isn't the time. Can we-"

"I'm sorry, but she's waiting. Um, yeah, so it was nice seeing you. Bye." And with that little goodbye I left my past behind, but felt no relief from the action.

I stopped in the restroom to splash some water on my face and tried to clean up my makeup. I needed to put on a happy face for my friends. There was always time to break down in the privacy of my bedroom later.

As I turned to walk towards the bar, I had the shit scared out of me as I was lifted off the ground into a tight hug.

"Bella, how are you? Rose told me you were here, but I couldn't find you. Where have you been hiding, girl?" Emmett had always been an affectionate person.

"Hi, Emmett. How've you been?" I tried to deflect his question. More importantly who I was with and what we'd talked about. I didn't want to talk about Jake any more tonight as that was not how I'd expected to spend my evening. _Happy_ New Year, my ass!

"Been good. Great really. How long's it been? Five years?"

I tried to count in my head. "I don't know, maybe eight or nine? You're still living inSeattle, I take it?" I needed to stay focused on our conversation, not the previous one, but it was harder to do than I had hoped.

"Yeah, I don't live too far away from here. I opened my own gym about six blocks away. You should stop by some time. What are you up to these days?"

"Well, I taught atFinnHillMiddle Schoolfor a few years while I finished my master's degree. This is actually my first year as Principal," I said, still shocked that I was in charge.

"What? They'll let any old riff raff run schools now, won't they?" Emmett joked. I really had missed his sense of humor.

"I guess. Sorry to cut this short, but Allie's waiting for me up at the bar. We'll talk again, right?"

"Hell yeah we will. Wild bears couldn't keep me away. Anyway, Happy New Year. Give your number to Rose and maybe we can all go out, cool?" His dimples could charm the chastity belt off of a nun.

"I will." I continued on to find my friend. It didn't matter that all I wanted to do was go home and cry;Alicewas my priority.

I stood next to Jasper and watched him open his gift. Alicevibrated with excitement next to him. I reached over and held her hand.

The large black frame he held contained a painting of a close up view of the wall behind Jasper's bar, lined by various bottles of alcohol. Alicehad hired a local artist to paint it using a photo she'd taken, and then had him paint "The Hangover" in a hip font across the bottles. Jasper's smile was contagious.

Suddenly I shivered as I felt a hand rest on my lower back. I turned to find Masen smiling down at me.

"Hi."

"Hey. Everything okay?" He whispered into my ear.

"It will be," I said in a hopeful tone.

I looked back over to Jasper as he and Emmett removed the large mirror that hung above the bar and replaced it withAlice's gift. I saw the pride in his eyes;Alicehad made him a happy man.

"I'd like to spend a little more time together and get to know you better. Would you like to hang out this weekend? Maybe go out for drinks or something?"

_Shit. As if this night wasn't already fucked up enough, right? Now I have this hot as sin guy asking me out and I can't bring myself to agree to it._

"Masen, as much as I'd love to say yes, right now, I can't. My mind isn't in a good place. You seem like a really nice guy, but my answer is no." Another time or under different circumstances I would have said yes in a heartbeat. I should've said yes, but I couldn't focus on him while my mind was swimming in chaos.

"Don't worry about it. I'm sure we'll run into each other again and maybe your mind will be in a better place by then; at least I hope so. You're beautiful and fun and I seriously loved dancing with you. Happy New Year, Bella. Take good care of yourself, okay?"

I nodded my head.

Masen leaned down and kissed me before leaving me alone with my thoughts.

**~~ E & B ~~**

**_Edward_**

After Bella left to rejoin the party, I let out the big breath I didn't realize I had been holding, yet it didn't improve what I was feeling.

I had felt like the walls were caving in around me. The ringing in my ears had started, white spots formed blocking my vision and I could feel the sweat as it took over my body.

I was about to pass out.

I had tried to keep my cool in front of Bella. My body gave way and shed tears, but I didn't want to have full blown panic attack in front of her. I could tell she was doing her best to keep her emotions in check as it was and I didn't want to inflict any extra stress on her.

Jake was dead… How could that be?

I took calming breaths as I shed my long sleeve shirt for some relief. I closed my eyes and mentally tried to will body into staying alert and my heart felt as if it wanted to leap out of my chest.

Hundreds of visions of Jake popped into my head. His larger than life smiles took center stage; his booming laughter filled my ears as if he were in the room with me. Memories I had thought I forgotten started to take over my thoughts.

I saw the first day I met him in college.

A Mariners game, with one of those big fingers, screaming at the players.

Fishing at the lake in that old tin boat that he swore brought him luck.

Camping with our friends; he would always tell old Quileute legends by the campfire.

Spending lazy Sundays on his couch watching football games and betting on which team would win.

I kept my elbows on my knees and my face in the palms of my hands, but I didn't try to stop the tears. They kept streaming down my cheeks and I could feel them starting to seep onto my pants.

The bar was in full blown party mode and I was thankful that I was left alone in the breakroom to try and compose myself. There was no way I could rejoin the crowd and act like I was excited the New Year was here.

My friend had been dead for _four years_ and I didn't even know. That was all that mattered to me.

How could one of the best guys I'd ever known not be in this world anymore? It didn't seem fair.

I felt as if I was being punished for my actions. Maybe if I wouldn't have crossed that line with Bella, Jake would still be around for her. I knew it was an irrational way to think, but at that moment nothing seemed rational; that wasn't how it was supposed to be. Jake had always deserved the best; he deserved to live a long life at the very least.

Time passed without me realizing it. I was too lost in thought to give a fuck about what I was missing.

The doctor in me was screaming to find out exactly how he died; get his medical records, lab results and look through everything to see if there was something that was overlooked.

Again, my way of thinking was irrational; nothing could bring him back now. I needed to know if everything was done properly and all options were exhausted.

The man in me wanted to run to Bella and get on my hands and knees then beg for her forgiveness. To tell her how I'd always been disgusted with myself because I ran away like a selfish, insecure coward. How till the day I died, would never forgive myself and would regret not being there for her when she needed a friend the most.

I imagined even though she was cordial with me, she would not want to listen to my lame ass excuses and never ending apologies. I had lied to her, I promised to always be there for her in whatever capacity she allowed. Being the asshole I had been, I ran off the minute something didn't go my way.

I would need to find a way to make that up to her, if there even was a way to do that.

All of a sudden I could hear the crowd get quiet andAlice's voice blaring through the load speaker. I couldn't make out all her words, but from what I had heard I could sense the excitement and love she was pouring out for her husband.

It made me realize that life inSeattlewent on without me. All the people I knew growing up were still around but yet they went on to bigger and better things. They may have aged, but they all settled down together and now their bonds were even stronger.

I felt like an outsider and it was my own damn fault.

I could only hope they would allow me into their lives again in time. I would need to show them just how much I had matured, changed and, more importantly, how much I missed them and their friendship.

My breaths started to slow to regular paced calming ones making the panic attack begin to slowly disappear.

I knew I needed more time with Bella so we could talk. Not only did I have a ton of questions about Jake, and even more apologies I needed to profess, I wanted to know all about her and her life. I had missed her so much and prayed she would allow me to get to know her again.

I went over to a small sink area to wash my face and hide the tear tracks that had formed. I needed to get back to the party so I could track down Bella. I had as many questions swirling in my mind as I did memories and only Bella could help me sort through them all.

When I walked back into the bar area, my eyes located Bella immediately. I could see Masen standing close to her with his hand on her lower back. He was whispering in her ear and from the looks of her body language, I knew she wasn't enjoying whatever he had to say. I could see her push away from him slightly and look around searching for something.

Before I realized what I was doing, my feet had started to take me towards them. I may not have been in Bella's good graces, but I wouldn't allow someone to make her feel uncomfortable. I was about three steps closer when I saw Masen lean down to kiss her. _What the fuck?_ It seemed like she wanted away from that asshole a minute ago.

I figured I better not barge in on whatever was going on between them. Based off what I could remember from our conversation at the gym, Masen didn't mention a girlfriend. However, that did not mean anything and I didn't want to cause any problems for Bella if they were a couple.

Masen seemed to disappear after that. Bella's boyfriend better not had left her here by herself on New Year's Eve. Any man would be fucking stupid to walk away from Bella on any given night; I knew that first hand.

I stopped a waitress and ordered a drink then looked around for an empty seat. As I slowly nursed my beer; I watched everything Bella did and waited to see when I could talk to her again. My time came quickly thanks to my brother.

He took Bella into his arms and gave her a big hug. They were never close, but after we dated in high school he knew her well enough. Knowing that this was my only chance to catch her, I quickly walked up towards the end of their conversation, overhearing them make promises to get together soon. Emmett gave me a smile and said to come and find him when I was done; he wanted to challenge me to a dart game. I waved him off and agreed to whatever bet he wanted just to get him to go away.

Bella tried to hold the smile on her face, but it only lasted while Emmett was there. As soon as he walked away she wrapped her arms around her body and swayed a little. She was clearly not comfortable in my presence and it made me feel like even more of a dick.

"Bella, I really was hoping we could leave and go get some coffee. I would love to talk to you some more." I hung my head before continuing, "I know I don't deserve your time, but there's so much I need to say to you."

I found her eyes waiting to meet mine. My eyes became stuck on hers, it felt so intense and as If I was looking right into her mind. I could see that she was intrigued; she definitely considered my offer. I'm sure she wanted some answers from me after all these years. I would be damned sure to provide her everything she wanted, as she deserved nothing less than my honesty.

Before I knew it, she blinked making us lose the connection we had shared. When she opened her eyes, everything I saw from moments ago was gone. They had changed and her internal wall was up. They were no longer bright and full of curiosity; they were now dark, almost black, filled with hesitation, as well as determination.

Bella shook her head a little as if she was clearing it from the confusion. I could see she was wavering about what to say as she nibbled on her bottom lip. It had always been a sign that she was nervous.

"I'm sorry, Edward, I can't. I told you tonight's about Jasper andAliceand I will not walk away from them. I do have a lot to say to you and I imagine you have some questions about Jake, but I can't do this right now. I can't pretend we are old friends catching up over coffee since so much has happened. Maybe some time soon we can, but it won't be tonight," she replied calmly.

Saying I was disappointed would be an understatement, and I really did understand. I no longer had any pull with her and I couldn't expect her to drop everything for me.

I stayed quiet for minute searching for the right words; not wanting to overwhelm her.

"I understand, Bella. Whenever you have some time to spare I'd love to talk. It doesn't have to be for coffee, but you deserve to hear my apologies. What I have to say, I'd rather do in person than over the phone. Please take my card and call me when you're ready." I took out my wallet looking for one of my old business cards checking it to verify my cell number was on there before I handed it to her.

"We'll see, Edward, but I can't make you any promises." She slowly took the card from me, clearly hesitant as if she debated if she wanted it or not.

"That's all I can ask for. Please think about it though." I reached out to grab her hand then gave it a squeeze. I wanted to show her some affection in a small way that wouldn't scare her. To my surprise, she tentatively squeezed my hand back. Hope shot through my body.

"Goodbye, Edward. Have a nice night." She responded and turned to walk away.

It stung to watch her go, not knowing if I would ever get another opportunity to see her. I had to leave the ball in her court and pray she would grant me my request.

Luckily for me, Emmett showed up shortly after Bella left and saved me from wallowing in my own self pity. He made me keep my promise and I enjoyed the light banter we exchanged while playing beer darts. It helped me forget that Bella was somewhere in the building and all the unsettled business between us.

Apparently I sucked at playing the game, and after four rounds of me ending up the loser that had to chug beer, I was completely buzzed. Emmett reminded me that was the purpose of drinking games, and gave me shit about forgetting to have fun in my old age. I needed to stop before I got wasted and get home before I embarrassed myself any further.

Emmett said he would drive my SUV home since Rose had driven herself and we left after saying quick goodbyes to Jasper andAlice. I didn't see Bella again and hoped she got home safely, even if it was with Masen.

When we arrived at my condo, I told Emmett I was fine and didn't need him to stay with me. I would take a taxi to his house to pick up my car. I really just wanted to be by myself and take in everything that I learned.

I grabbed some Gatorade out of the fridge and located a box labeled _bathroom_ in search of some Tylenol before I headed toward my room. I was thankful our belongings had made it there the day before as it made me feel like the place was my home and not just a place we were staying at for a couple days.

Once in my bedroom I stripped out of my clothes and lay on bed enjoying the peace of having the condo to myself. My eyes drooped closed and sleep took me away. I found myself in a dream with Jake. I could see it perfectly; it was the day he married Bella. He kept fidgeting with his bow tie and I went to I hit his hands away to straighten it out for him.

_"I hope you know what it means to me that you agreed to be my Best Man, Edward." Jake's voice cracked giving away how nervous he was._

_"I know, Chief, and I'm honored you chose me for the job. I've got one hell of a speech for you, my man." I grinned up at him trying to lighten his mood. _

_"I'm serious, Edward. You may have the title of my Best Man today, but you are my best friend every day and really one of the best men I've ever met," he sincerely responded. _

Jake had it wrong that day; I was not a _best man_ to anyone. I saw Bella's reaction to me, and along with the fact that I was unaware that one of my best friends died years ago, it proved that I was anything but the best.

**A/N: So, Bella took his card, but will she call him? Do you feel sorry for Edward?**

**Beer darts isn't a typo. It's real and jadsmama found it on Google. *sigh* We love Google. If you don't believe us, go here to read about it: **http:/en . wikipedia . org/wiki/Beerdarts

**We've added a picture of the inside of Jasper's bar, and the painting which Allie had made for him, on PhotoBucket. We'll keep adding to these pictures as we post. At this time, we have around 75 pictures that we've used as our inspiration for E&B.**

**Thanks for reading. If you have the time, please review and we'll send you a teaser of the next chapter.**

**How about another fic rec? Serendipity by Suzie55 is updating every day during the month of April. Give it a try. **


	6. There and Back Again

**Thank you to our beta LZTZ, and prereader tanglingshadows, for all of their help and support.**

**Disclaimer: We don't own Twilight, but it owns us.**

**Chapter 6 – There and Back Again**

_**Edward**_

Rain pounded against my window and jolted me awake after the short amount of restless sleep I had managed to get.

I rolled to my right side, curious to see what time it was. The clock showed 6:47 a.m. in bright red numbers. I groaned; three hours of sleep wasn't enough on a normal day. After a night like the night before, it definitely wasn't going tide me over. What I had really needed was to sleep my hangover and mental exhaustion off.

I couldn't though. I had made a promise to Makenna to be at my parents' house for breakfast and spend the day doing whatever she wanted. I had hoped she would take it easy on me and spend the day being lazy watching movies and hanging out, but sadly that was not the case. My daughter was calm by nature and loved doing simple things, but she also enjoyed going out to explore new things. With us moving to a new city, I had a feeling my hopes for a quiet day at home weren't going to happen.

After a few minutes I had managed to pull myself out of bed and headed toward the shower. Due to the dull headache I had, I closed my eyes as I waited for the spray to heat up before stepping in. The warm water cascaded down my body and it felt as if I washed my worries away. I opened my eyes and mindlessly washed my body off. I tried to keep my mind from wandering because I knew exactly where it would go if it did.

Jake.

In the short amount of time I'd slept, I was ambushed with dreams of him. Some were pleasant ones that reminded me of how close we were; others were my battered and bruised reflection in a mirror after he'd kicked my ass because of what Bella and I had done. I was not sure if Jake ever found out about that night, and if he did, how he took the news. Just another thing that proved I was a fucking asshole. I should have stood beside Bella to share the blame.

She was his wife; some people may think she should bare a scarlet '_A_' on her chest for our affair because she made vows to Jake and initiated our first kiss. But I was not innocent and just as much to blame as she was. If I really wanted to come clean, I would need to admit that I had kept up a one sided mental affair with her for years prior to us sleeping together, that night changed everything.

I was hyper aware of Bella's new outfits and the way her ass looked in jeans. Whenever guys noticed her and Jake didn't seem bothered by it, and I got pissed off with him. I flirted with her every chance I got but brushed it off as _I like to see you blush_. Bella may not have been my girlfriend at the time, but I put her on a pedestal that no other woman would ever be able to reach. Trust me, I heard about that shit all the time from Jessica.

I could not wrap my mind on what to do with the news of Jake's death. Bella and their families have had years to come to terms with it and I had roughly six hours.

I sighed._ I only have myself to blame._

Considering Bella would not talk to me, I was full of questions and my frustrations continued to multiply. I just needed to know about his last days to try and make peace with it.

I finished my shower as the water started to cool off, and stepped out to dry off. I wished the bathroom had heated floors like my house in Chicago. That was one luxury I became accustomed to and would want it in my next place.

When I found out I got the job at Seattle General, I went on the internet and found furnished housing. There were a couple pieces of furniture I wanted to bring, but for the most part I just wanted Makenna and me to start over. I knew the condo would be temporary, that eventually I would want to buy a house somewhere Makenna could have a backyard to play in and maybe a dog to learn to take care of.

My feet padded their way to the suitcase in my bedroom that still held my basic every day necessities and some clothes. I pulled out a pair of jeans as well as my old UW sweatshirt. It was ratty, and had a couple small holes on the cuffs, but I could not throw it away. In Chicago it always made me feel a little closer to home.

The clock caught my eye and I noticed Makenna should have been awake already. I figured I better call to reassure her I would be coming over but would be a little late. I picked up my cell phone and hit the speed dial #2 for my parents' house. My dad answered after the second ring.

"Hello."

"Morning, Dad." I greeted him.

"Good morning, Son. I'm shocked that you're up at this hour after a night out with your brother." He responded.

"Trust me, my body is protesting it, but I promised Makenna I would be there first thing this morning."

"Wild night, I take it?" He questioned me.

"Umm you can say that, but not in the way you may think. I actually ran into Bella at the bar." I answered.

"Oh really. What a surprise! How are Bella and Jake doing? It's been years since we've seen them. "

"Bella and I didn't talk much, but I did find out that Jake passed away around four years ago."

I heard my dad take in a breath, clearly shocked by my statement. He let out a bigger breath before he responded to me.

"I'm at a loss for words, Edward. We had no idea. Your mother will be upset with herself that we didn't send any condolences. We haven't heard anything about Bella or Jake since Renee moved to Phoenix a few months after you left for Chicago. Did she say what happened? He was so young."

"She didn't. Like I said Bella and I didn't have an opportunity to talk much, being in a crowded bar and all." I hated making excuses, but eight years later I was in too deep with the secret I had kept. There was no reason to tell my family the truth about why our friendship ended.

"Well, I guarantee your mother will be on the phone with Bella the minute I inform her about Jake's death."

I did not really know what to say in response to that. How do I explain there was no way to contact Bella since she hardly talked to me, yet alone the fact that she didn't give me her contact information? Figuring I better steer away from this topic I changed paths and brought up Makenna.

"Is Makenna awake yet, Dad? I wanted to let her know I'm running late. I need to go over to Emmett's to get my SUV; he drove it home after dropping me off last night."

"No, she's actually asleep still. Your mother allowed her to stay up till midnight and I'm sure all the candy wrappers I found in the trash can this morning didn't help."

I groaned. One thing that my baby girl did not handle well was missing out on her beauty sleep. I'd never heard of a child who asked to go bed at eight o'clock at night. She would be a grouch for the day that was for sure.

"Alright, well if she wakes up before I get there let her know I'm on my way. Depending on how long it takes a taxi to get here, I should be there in an hour and a half tops."

"No rush, Edward, we love having her here," he responded.

"Thank you, Dad."

"You're welcome, always, Son. Both your mother and I are thrilled you both are home where you belong," he said with all sincerity.

We said our goodbyes and I sent Emmett a text letting him know I was on my way.

One of the advantages to living in the condo building was that it had its own concierge with a variety of amenities. I called down for them to arrange a taxi for me and they said they would call me when it arrived.

With cable service not set up yet and no interest to surf the internet, I started to unpack boxes in my bedroom. I was not one for knick knacks, so I just had to arrange clothes in the walk in closet.

I came across a box labeled _photographs. _I opened it up wondering why a large box would have been dedicated to these. We did not have very many albums. Jessica had been great at making Makenna a yearly album, but those could have been incorporated with other items in a smaller box.

After taking the various albums out along with a couple picture frames, I noticed a shoe box sitting at the bottom.

My body completely froze. I had forgotten about that box, it was hidden in the back of my closet. The movers must have opened it to see it was pictures as well.

I had one shoe box to show for my life prior to Chicago. When I packed to move, I grabbed whatever pictures I had stuck on the fridge and a handful that was in the desk drawer. I shoved them into a large envelope. I could not even look at them for years. My mom always asked if I wanted her to send me the random box's I asked my parents to hold onto, but I declined knowing there were more pictures in there I couldn't bare to look at.

After Makenna was born and I started to deal with life again, I sorted them out and found a new home for them; the shoebox. Every now and then I would take it out and reminisce about the places each were taken and miss the peoples' faces that looked back at me.

There was a picture of Eric Yorkie, my freshman roommate. We stood in front of room number ten of Lander Hall. He was the shy guy that turned party animal.

I chuckled at all the crazy memories I made with him that year.

The next picture was one of Ben, Angela and I from their wedding. I smiled at how in love they looked. I wondered what they are up to all these years later.

I shuffled through a couple more of random college friends before I picked up another pile.

The top picture was one of me and Jake at a pool hall.

My breath caught in my throat. I had known I was bound to find one of us in there, and I should have known I was not ready to face him yet, even if it was by a photograph staring at me. I could not take my eyes off the photo. It was as if I was waiting for him to talk to me.

My phone startled me and brought me out of my trance. The concierge said the taxi was waiting for me.

I looked at the picture one last time and gave a sad smile then put in back in the box and closed the lid.

During the taxi ride to Emmett's house, I took in the scenery of the neighborhood. I was shocked my brother was living in the family friendly suburbs. I could not picture him coexisting with neighbors who had kids playing in the backyard at nine in the morning, screaming at the top of their lungs.

The houses were newer and looked like somewhere Makenna and I should live. It would be nice to be close to Emmett and Rose. Plus, if we were close enough I could think of ways to torture Emmett on a daily basis if I wanted to. I grinned to myself and made a mental note to watch the internet for available houses in the area when our lease was up.

We continued to drive, before the taxi pulled up behind my SUV. I let out a grumble, causing the taxi driver to give me a confused look. My jackass brother could have at least parked it in the drive way.

I paid the driver and walked to the front door. For a split second I thought about being nice and sending a text that I was there, but that thought did not last long. I rang the doorbell once hearing it chime within the house, then went back for a couple more rounds to make the chime sound continuous.

The door opened and Emmett appeared in his boxers, his hair was going in multiple directions looking a lot like mine, for once, and he only had one eye open. I gave him a big ass smile.

"Fucker. Did you really need to ring the doorbell that many times?" He glared at me.

"Did you really need to park my _brand new_ SUV on a busy ass street where it could be hit, jackass?" I narrowed my eyes challenging him.

"I was leaving room for Rose to get into the garage, asshole. Here take your fucking keys; I'm going back to the land of the dead like most folks on New Year's Day morning." He handed me my key, waved a quick goodbye and shut the door on me before I could even respond.

The ride to my parent's house ended up being peaceful. I kept the radio off and enjoyed watching the scenery change as I drove through different neighborhoods. I was amazed at how much had changed since the last time I lived here. I pulled up in my parent's driveway and got out of the SUV quickly, anxious to see my baby girl. It had been a long time since I spent the night apart from her. After Jessica moved, I made sure my schedule allowed me to be home every night with her.

My dad answered the door and after I was ushered in, I was informed my mom and daughter were upstairs in Makenna's room. I eyed him wondering what he meant; she didn't have a room there. When I said that to him, his only response was _you know your mother_. I gave him a nod and made my way up the stairs.

I heard voices coming from the left side of the hallway, which meant Makenna's new room had been Emmett's. I laughed out loud. He was going to love that and I couldn't wait to be the one to tell him.

I walked over to the doorway quietly and leaned on the frame to observe them. My mom and Makenna were so engrossed in playing Barbie's with the doll house that took up the entire corner, that they didn't even notice I was there.

The bright blue paint Emmett had chosen in seventh grade now had two toned pink stripes running vertically down them. A full sized white canopy bed was the center of attention with small flowers covering the entire comforter and a white canopy flowing down. The dresser held a small TV, DVD player and two American Girl dolls sitting on each side.

There was soft pink chair near the window, with a bookshelf next to it filled with books. Makenna would be in heaven reading there for hours. I wasn't sure what she would think of the décor, but it was clearly a room fit for a little girl done up with Esme Cullen's sense of style. I loved that my mom went out of her way to make Makenna feel at home and that she wanted her to have a place to call her own.

A big smile crept up on my face hearing my daughter make silly voices for the Barbie her hand held. I couldn't wait any longer, so I made my presence known with a small knock.

My mom looked back at me and as a smile grew on her face before getting up to walk towards me.

"Hello, Edward, we were just giving Barbie a tour of her new house." She beamed at me clearly enjoying the things that she never got to do with us boys.

"Speaking of tours, why didn't you tell me about all this?" I waved my hand around the room.

My mom's smile beamed larger. She shrugged at me before she spoke. "It wasn't your surprise to be concerned with." She laughed as she answered. My mom knew she went overboard, and was holding off on telling me so I did not scold her for it.

I looked back over to Makenna who seemed lost in thought, and based on her body language, she didn't seem as happy as my mom. My eyes went back to her quickly.

"Why does she seem upset? Is she mad at me for leaving last night?" I whispered, hoping not to upset Makenna any further by bringing it up.

"No, Edward, she was fine last night _without you_." She rolled her eyes at me and continued, "She made a couple comments about missing Jessica this morning though. I think you need to discuss this with her. You don't want her troubled before she starts a new school next week."

I nodded my head in agreement and thought about how I was going to make my baby girl happy.

My mom started to walk out of the room but stopped right outside the doorway and turned back to me.

"Oh and, Edward, I heard that Jacob Black died. I'm beside myself that we didn't know before now. I want to get in touch with Bella soon to give my apologies for not being there for her. Do you have her number?" She asked.

I wanted to say _If I had her number, mother, I would have already called her myself,_ but I held that in.

"No I don't. We didn't have an opportunity to really talk last night. She's friends with the owner of bar where Rose is working now, so I imagine you can track it down."

"I will be sure to do that. I would love to catch up with her too. I always liked that girl," she said, sincerely.

Once again my internal thoughts went to what I wanted to say _"I would have loved the chance to catch up with her last night myself but because of my actions years ago, I fucked that up."_

"I'm hoping to catch up with her one day too." I said quietly.

My mom looked back and forth between my eyes, she sensed there was more on my mind about the subject then I disclosed.

I held her gaze unsure what else I could say without going into further details about the situation.

"You know, Edward, the New Year is the perfect time to make amends with mistakes from past. Maybe one of your resolutions can be to rebuild friendships?" She raised an eyebrow at me, silently giving the message she meant with Bella.

I knew what she said was true and I did not see the need to call it a resolution, but I did plan to rebuild my friendship with her, if she gave me a chance.

My mom patted my arm, gave me a small smile and turned to walk away. I watched her until she got to the stairs then turned to face my daughter again.

I walked in and sat down Indian style next to her. My hand reached over and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear then I leaned in to kiss her head.

"Having fun with your new Barbie's, Kenni Bear?" I asked, trying to feel my daughter out and see if she would open up and talk to me without me probing.

"Yes, Nana and I had a lot of fun," she simply said, then hung her head.

That was all I needed to see to know my daughter was just as sad as my mom suggested she was.

I pulled her into my lap, and then wrapped my arms around her, trying to protect her from whatever was causing her sadness.

"What's wrong, baby?" I asked in a soft voice.

"I miss Mommy." Makenna sniffled and hugged me tight.

"I'm sorry, but you know you can call Mommy any time you want. Even if I'm not with you, Nana knows her phone number. I know she would love to hear from you. Do you want to call her now?" I slowly rocked us back and forth hoping to give my daughter some comfort from my presence.

She sniffled again and I felt her head nod against my chest.

"I love you, Makenna, very much. All you have to do is tell me what you need and I will make it happen, okay?"

I knew we both had to adjust to living the new life we would be making in Seattle. I could only hope it would not be too hard on Makenna.

Our move really was to give her a better life.

**~~ E & B ~~**

_**Bella**_

"So did you have fun with Gramps?" I looked in my mirror for MC's response as she was playing a game on her Nintendo DS and not likely to answer me in whole sentences; probably just grunts.

"Yep."

Wow! A one word response.

"Did you go fishing on his boat?"

"Nope."

Huh. I knew how to get two words from my girl. "Do you want a snack, baby?"

"Do you have any peanut M&M's, Momma?" MC responded without removing her eyes from her game.

"Yes, I do."

Our drive continued in silence after that. I plugged my iPod into the music system of my red Mini Cooper convertible, set it to Pink's new album and sang along.

I had met Billy in Port Angeles on New Year's Day so MC could spend two nights with him before she had to go back to school. MC and Billy loved spending time together and I had felt it was very important to keep his relationship with my daughter as strong as possible. The Black's had a strong heritage and she needed to remain of part of that.

Through the years after Jake's death, Billy was a saving grace for me. We both found peace and solace in each other through MC. We talked on the phone several times a week in the beginning and then tapered off to weekly calls. She spent at least one weekend a month in La Push during the school year and several weeks in the summer.

Once again Billy had come to my rescue without even knowing I needed some time to myself. I spent the past two days holed up in the house trying to wrap my mind around anything and everything related to Edward. I did a play-by-play of the night several times in my head, and each time I remembered an additional detail; the way he looked, a facial expression he made or the energy I had felt from being in his presence. I had thought I moved past my feelings for him but I could honestly say I hadn't. That both frightened me and had me flying to the moon.

Masen starred in a few thoughts too. However, I think in another time or a different place I would have accepted his offer to go out. I could not be fair to him and give him the honest effort he deserved. Masen would be competing against someone who he could not beat. As much as I didn't want to admit it, I needed some closure with Edward.

One of my favorite verse of the song brought me of my thoughts.

_So raise your glass _

_If you are wrong in all the right ways_

God, I loved that song. I danced along while I drove.

I heard my cell phone ringing in my purse and sighed when I had to turn my music down to answer.

"Hello."

"Hey, baby girl, how are you?" My mother, Renee, asked.

"Hey, Mom, I'm good. Just heading back home from picking up my girl. She spent some time with Billy."

I looked in the mirror again and noticed she was still engaged in her game. "MC, you want to say _hi_ to your Mimi?"

"In a minute."

"Well, I guess I'll keep her all to myself then," I teased, not that she cared at the moment.

"So, what's up, Mom? Happy New Year."

"Oh, Happy New Year to you, too. And you know me; I'm just headed out to sign up for a new Power Yoga class. There's this fabulous new studio that opened up just before Christmas that I've had my eye on. I need to get this body of mine back into shape if I plan on keeping up with Phil for much longer." She laughed at her own joke. I didn't see anything funny about my mom's sex life. _Just…gross!_

"Power Yoga, huh? I thought you were taking Pilates. I guess you didn't like that?"

"It's not that I didn't like it, it's just too much time and effort. If this yoga stuff doesn't work out, I'm thinking about signing up for Jazzercise again. I liked that, right?"

It was conversations like that which made me miss my mom. She had moved from Forks to Phoenix about three months after my dad was shot. She stated she needed a fresh start and didn't want to live in the near constant cloudiness of the Pacific Northwest any longer. She traded it in for the heat and sun of Arizona.

About a year after Renee moved, she met Phil at a local cell phone store when she had to purchase a new charger since she misplaced hers. Phil was the high school's Athletic Director and stayed in great shape, hence my mom's need to exercise to keep up with him.

"Yeah, I think you did. So what's Phil up to today? Is he getting ready to head back to work?"

"He has tomorrow off and then it's back to school. They have baseball try outs next week so I won't see him around here much. Enough of him, how are my girls doing? You sound like you have a lot on your mind is everything okay?" How did she do that? I would need to learn so I can use that on MC some day.

"Everything's fine. I'm just nursing a small headache from a few nights ago. I'm not a drinker, you know that, but I ran into an old friend that I never expected to see again. Allie and Jasper opened their bar so my drinks were on the house and she made sure I had a fresh drink all night. Did you and Phil go out and celebrate?" I tried to change the subject.

"Yes, we did, but tell me who'd you ran in to. Was he cute? You're being safe, right?"

"No one that you'd know and the rest is none of your business." I did not want to get into that conversation with my mom. I loved her and we had a great relationship, but I needed time to work it out in my head. I was equal parts sad, confused and elated after seeing Edward again. Each emotion confused me even more.

"I know, Bella, I was just teasing you. But maybe you should make your New Year's Resolution to forgive and forget and try to reconnect with your friend. But enough with the heavy stuff; is my granddaughter ready to talk yet?"

"Oh, yeah, let me get her for you. I love and miss you. Tell Phil I said hi." Great, when I didn't want my mom to pay attention to me, she did. She just gave me another thing to think about. Did I want to forgive and forget?

MC had pouted a little during the beginning of her talk with Renee, but quickly became her little animated self.

As she spoke, I thought about the emotional rollercoaster I was riding. I understood why seeing him made me sad and confused, but why was I elated? Did I want to be happy about seeing him again? Could I allow myself to reconnect? _He_ said he had just moved back to Seattle, but why? Where the hell was Jessica?

Through the years Edward had elicited many emotions from me; everything from dread to desire, and lonely to love.

I remembered the time when my jealousy thrived and it got the best of me. We had all met up at a house party at UW the week after finals. It was the first time Edward brought Jessica around. At the time I was dating Jake.

Edward never tried to hide the fact that he had slept with the college hussies and it was something I had to get used to whether I liked it or not. We had broken up two years before so it was not like I had a say in what he could or couldn't do. That was until he brought _her_ around.

Apparently Edward and Jessica had been seeing each other for a few months and she made a comment about me under her breath that I didn't appreciate.

"She's just mad that Edward picked me and not her," Jessica loudly whispered to another girl.

With my mind made up, I asked Jake if he needed another beer and walked into the kitchen. I grabbed us both a Corona and stopped to gather my thoughts, and a plan formed in my head. I opened our drinks and added a lime to Jake's, then poured my drink into a plastic cup.

When I returned to the room, the bitch was sitting in Edward's lap practically dry fucking him. I looked over to Jake and winked. He nodded his head in encouragement and I walked towards the porn show.

I pretended to trip over the carpet; I was known to be klutzy and _accidentally_ poured my beer down her back. _Oops!_

"Like, ohmygod, Bella. What the hell's your problem, you bitch?" The whore yelled.

Edward lifted her off of his lap and started to wipe the drink off his pants. He looked up at me and raised his eyebrow.

"Oh shit, Jennifer, I'm so sorry. Let me go grab some napkins. I'll be right back." I should have won an Oscar for my performance.

"I'm Jessica and I know you did that on purpose. You've been giving me a hard time since I got here."

"Look Jessie, I don't care what you think you know, but it was an accident. Sorry."

Angela handed _the humper_ some paper towels. As she turned around she gave me a thumb's up that Jessica would never see.

"It's Jessica. You obviously have a problem with me and I think I know what it is." She reached down to forcefully grab Edward's hand and held it tightly in front of her. "You want what I have. He chose me over you and you're jealous. Admit it?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. I have a boyfriend," I said as I turned to look at Jake.

At that point, Jake stood up and wrapped his arms around my waist. "She has a _very_ happy boyfriend at that. I saw Bella trip and it was just an accident, Jessica."

"No, it wasn't! Don't you realize _your_ girlfriend loves _my_ boyfriend even though he dumped her a long time ago? I mean, like, get over it already. He doesn't love you."

"Okay, that's it! Shut the fuck up, Jessica! You don't know what the hell you're talking about." Edward said with his teeth clinched in frustration. "I saw what happened and Bella tripped. It was a fucking accident and you've taken it a little too far. Let's go," he said as he pulled her along to the door, stopping next to me.

"I'm sorry about that, Bizzy. I didn't mean for that to happen in front of you. Forgive me?" Edward whispered into my ear and I shivered.

"Yes."

"I'll call you soon. Bye, Chief. Take care of her and make sure she gets back safely."

"You know I will, dude. Get the fuck outta here before I dump a beer over your head, pretty boy." Jake laughed. He could find the humor in any situation.

They left and Jake turned me around to hug me. "You know that was mean, right? I understand why you did it, but you can't go around pouring beer on all his girlfriends, Bells."

"I know, but she was trying to fuck him in front of our friends. Someone had to teach the girl how to behave in public. I did it for the greater good of mankind. Bitches like her need to be put in their place early on or they'll never learn. And you know I'm going to college to become a teacher, so I'm the only one here who's really qualified." I laughed at my own lame joke.

"Sure, sure," he responded and bent down to kiss me. "Just don't try to make me jealous at the same time, okay? I know you two used to have a thing and it's over, but he's also become my best friend so I've gotta be on his side sometimes. Just so happens that I wish I had dumped it on her tonight."

"Me, too," Angela chimed in.

I laughed at the memory of my first time meeting Jessica. She learned her lesson that night and never tried humping Edward in front of us again. Even though we were never close friends we had developed a silent understanding between us, and moved on to become somewhat friendly. She was not as bad as I originally thought and it took me a while to accept her, but eventually I did.

That night after putting MC to bed, I curled up on my couch to read and relax. I needed a distraction and a good book always helped me to escape.

My phone chirped to announce a new text message. Opening it, I saw it was from Alice.

_How was your drive? ~ AW_

**Long, but good. She had a great time.**

_Did Billy spoil her rotten again? ~ AW_

**Of course. He says it's his job.**

_=) ~ AW_

**So, what's up? How's your boys?**

_Great. Liam sang Wheels on the Bus today. Jasper was so proud. Lol ~ AW_

**Ya, that sounds like him. **

I closed my book because I realized the conversation was going to be a little longer than I thought. I walked into the kitchen to grab a bottle of water.

_So I have something to tell you. ~ AW_

**It must be bad if you leading up to it. Just spit it out Allie.**

_Fine. I got a call from Rose this afternoon. You remember her, right? ~ AW_

**Yes, what did she want?**

_What makes you think she wanted something? ~ AW_

**Allie, just spit it out and stop stalling. What did she want?**

_Ok, so here's the deal. Rose is dating Emmett, remember? ~ AW_

**Yes, and….?**

_Well, since she's dating him that means that she knows his family. ~ AW_

**Mary Alice Whitlock just tell me what she wanted. Now.**

_Fine, grumpy. She wanted your phone number. ~ AW_

**And?**

_Esme Cullen is going to call you tomorrow. ~ AW_

**A/N: Dun. Dun. Dun. So, what do you think Mama Cullen is going to say? Is she just going to apologize or do you think she has another agenda? We will could tell you, but then what's the point in us ending it with a small cliffy, ya know?**

**Our story was reviewed on Twific Reviews a-z blogspot. You can read the review by the fabulous SusayQ here:**

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**You'll notice that the lovely and talented tanglingshadows was nominated a gazillion times for A Race Against Time. Show her some love… you know you want to!**

**Speaking of tanglingshadows, she's the luckiest girl we know. Katie had her picture taken with ROB PATTINSON at the Water for Elephants premier in NY! We're living vicariously through you, babe!**

**Thanks for reading. If you have the time, please review and we'll send you a teaser for the next chapter.**


	7. Realize

**Thank you to our beta LZTZ, and prereader tanglingshadows, for all of their help and support.**

**Disclaimer: We don't own Twilight, but it owns us.**

**Chapter 7 - Realize**

_**Bella**_

"Can I ring the doorbell?" MC asked, excitedly.

"Sure, sweetheart."

Why was I so nervous? Oh yeah, maybe it was because I stood outside the home of the person who's son I'd loved for most of my life? The person who just left me when I needed him the most?

The guy I thought I still had feelings for and it confused the hell out of me.

A couple of weeks back when I'd first received a call from Esme, I agreed to visit and it felt great to talk with her again. During high school when I dated Edward, she and I used to bake together for hours. She was the only reason I knew how to cook and I found myself using her old recipes with MC. I had missed her terribly over the years.

So there we were, standing at the back door of a magnificent, white, Victorian styled waterfront home, waiting for my past to catch up with my present.

"I'd love to come. I have a daughter who I would like you to meet, too." I had stated when I accepted her invitation over the phone.

"Oh, you have a daughter? That's wonderful, Bella. I'd love to meet her. What's her name?"

"Well, her full name is Mary Claire and we wanted to call her Claire, but she had different plans. She'd asked to be called MC and I don't know how long this phase will last, but so far it's been about two years." I laughed.

"So how old is MC?"

"She's six going on forty-two," I joked, it was so natural speaking with Esme.

"I bet she's a beauty. I have a granddaughter who's seven. If you're able to make it next Saturday, I'll be watching her and perhaps the girls can play together."

She has a granddaughter? Emmett didn't say anything about having kids when I saw him.

"I'm sure MC would love that. So next Saturday it is. I'll call you later this week to get directions and find out what I can bring. Is that all right?" I answered, after I pulled myself back into the conversation.

"Sure, sweetie, call me any time. Talk to you soon. Bye, Bella."

"Bye, Esme."

The click of the door as it opened brought me out of my daze and I found myself being hugged by Esme.

"Bella, I've missed you! How are you? Oh, gosh, answer that in a second. Let's get you both in out of the rain. Come on in, ladies." Esme took my hand and led me into the mud room. I remembered spending some time here as a teenager during the summer. The Cullens spent the school year at their house in Forks so that Emmett and Edward could attend school, but came here for weeks at a time when it was warmer.

"And who's this beautiful girl?" Esme asked with a bright smile on her face. She was just as pretty as I remembered her, except her caramel hair is styled differently and was cut shorter, but her green eyes and sweet personality hadn't changed one bit.

"I'm MC, ma'am," my daughter answered politely. I had reminded her about using her manners during our drive.

"Well, MC, it's a pleasure to meet you and please call me Esme. Honestly, you look so much like your Mommy when she was younger. Did she tell you that we're old friends?"

"Momma told me I'm not allowed to call her old anymore. She's thirty-two, ya know?"

Esme laughed and had tears in her eyes. My daughter had a great sense of humor.

"You're right. Thirty-two _is_ old, so let's not speak about it again, deal?" Esme held out her hand and MC shook it.

"Momma said you have a friend that I can play with. Where is she?"

"Makenna's on her way down. I had her cleaning her bedroom so it would be tidy when you arrived. We can go find her together if you'd like?"

"Can I?" MC asked me. I nodded my head yes and we followed Esme through the kitchen.

As I climbed the stairs, a picture caught my eye. It had been taken around my sophomore year of high school. All of us; me and Edward, Emmett, Alice and a few friends were sitting on the dock fishing. The picture was taken from behind us so I couldn't see our faces, and with the sun setting in front of us, we were just silhouettes. If it wasn't for Edward's hair and my head resting on his shoulder, I would not be able to tell who we were. What that photo didn't show was about ten minutes after Carlisle had snapped it, Emmett threw Alice into the water.

There were many pictures of Emmett and Edward growing up. One of my favorites was a picture of Emmett wearing a bright yellow cowboy leather jacket, blue jeans tucked into his cowboy boots, a white cowboy hat resting on his curly brown hair and holding a red plastic toy gun in each hand aiming towards the sky. It displayed Emmett's personality perfectly and reminded me how lively he was as a child.

I could hear chit chat from a few rooms away and I hadn't realized I stopped to look at the pictures for as long as I had. Walking into the room, I heard laughter coming from a bedroom that was worthy of a princess. It was a room that deserved to be featured on the cover of a magazine. Although the room had touches of Esme sprinkled everywhere, which was not what caught my attention. I wished I could curl up with a book in front of the bay window, sitting in the comfy looking armchair.

"Bella, I'd like you to meet Makenna, Edward's daughter." I looked up in shock towards the girl standing next to Esme. She was his daughter; there was no denying that. My god, she was created in his image. Looking into her eyes was like looking into his.

"Hi, Makenna, it's great to meet you. I'm Bella and it looks like you've met my daughter, MC. I love your room."

I was surprised I could speak. I felt my heart racing in my chest. I had no idea Edward was a dad. His daughter must be the light of his life, like MC was mine.

"So, why don't us old, boring women go downstairs and catch up while you girls play up here. Is that okay with you, ladies?" Esme prompted.

"Yes, Nana."

"Yes, ma'am, I mean Esme."

"It's settled then. We'll be in kitchen if you need us." She hugged both girls goodbye and it was just like Esme to include MC in her affections, just like she did with me. Her heart had no limit.

Three hours and a bottle of wine later, Esme and I laughed while sitting in the game room. The girls had found their way downstairs a while ago. We had spoken about so many things, including Jake's illness, how MC and I attend therapy to try and come to terms with his loss, my job and MC's iCarly obsession. Esme talked about her family and traveling around the world for both vacations and humanitarian missions. She also gave me a little information about Edward being single again and that Jessica traveled with her new husband, Mike.

She winked at me when she mentioned his dating status.

"Hello?" I turned my head expecting to see Carlisle but saw Edward instead.

"Oh, hello, dear. You're early; I wasn't expecting you for another hour." Esme walked over to give Edward a hug, but got sidestepped by Makenna.

"Daddy!" She wrapped her body around his legs as he struggled to lift her into a hug and I watched his eyes soften at the sight of his daughter.

"Hey, baby, did you have fun with Nana today? I missed you." He kissed her head and she held him tight. I was a little awe struck seeing Edward with his daughter; it was a beautiful sight.

"I played with MC today. She's a lot of fun. And guess what?" Makenna asked.

"What?"

"She loves iCarly just like me, but we didn't get to watch it yet. Can I play with her again, Daddy?"

"Hey, Bella. I wasn't expecting to see you here. How are you?" Edward's eyes darted between mine and my daughter's.

"I'm great and yeah, I didn't expect to stay this long. After drinking a little wine with your mom, we've stayed a little longer than I'd planned."

"I didn't know you had a daughter, too. She looks just like you." He turned to MC and looked at her with adoration in his eyes, and said, "You're beautiful just like your mommy, but I can tell you look like your daddy, too."

My heart broke for Edward because in the past few weeks, he had to come to terms with Jake's death and now the realization that Jake and I had a daughter as well.

"Hi," MC said as she reached to hold my hand.

"Hi. I'm Edward." He put Makenna back down on her feet and bent in front of MC so he was eye level with her. "What's your name?"

"MC."

Edward looked up towards me, "MC?" he questioned.

"It's short for Mary Claire," I spoke softly.

He turned back and said, "It's nice to meet you, Mary Claire."

"I go by MC, so please don't call me Mary Claire. I'm MC Black," she said proudly. I rolled my eyes at my daughter, she was so determined.

"Please forgive me. It's nice to meet you, MC Black." He smiled at her and looked up at me and winked.

I giggled.

"MC, do you want to go back upstairs and watch iCarly with me? I have a DVD player in my room. Or we can play with my Barbie's again." Makenna reached over and gently took her hand. I think my heart grew two sizes in that very moment.

"Sure, let's go." MC paused and turned back to face me with a puzzled look and whispered, "Is this the Edward that you and Aunt Allie talked about at Starbucks?"

"Um, yeah," I whispered in embarrassment. I looked at my feet.

The girls disappeared.

"Well, I'm going to go, um, straighten up the kitchen from the girls' snack." And with the disappearance of Esme, Edward and I were alone.

Now that we were face to face again, I had no clue what to say or ask him. I didn't have a thousand thoughts running rampant through my head. In fact, my mind went blank; numb almost. I knew we needed to talk or yell or even scream, but nothing came out.

Other than New Year's Eve, we hadn't seen each other in eight years. A lot had happened in our time apart; both good and bad. I had given birth, buried the father of my child, graduated with my Master's degree; became a teacher and then a principal. So much had changed for me and I wondered what his life had been like too.

One thing stayed the same; I craved any type of connection with Edward. I'd denied it to myself for years, but these past weeks have opened my eyes. Alice was right; I loved Edward, but to be in love with someone you also had to trust them. I did not trust him not to leave me again.

He had been so many things to me over the years. My playmate and classmate, friend and boyfriend, a lover but most of all, he had been the one person who could break me and make me become the weak-minded person that I'd never want to be again.

"It's great to see you. You look great," he spoke, breaking our silence.

"It's nice to see you too."

Awkward silence.

"So, um, yeah, MC seems like such a sweet girl. She's beautiful Bella. How old is she?"

"She is beautiful, funny, and such a good girl. I've been lucky with her. She's six."

"I don't mean to make you feel weird or anything, so I'm just going to say it. I really like that she reminds me of him. It makes it feel like he's still here. I'm sorry," he finished softly.

"I see a lot of him in her, too, and not just the color of her skin. She sometimes says the things that he said and it used to make me really sad, but now… now it makes me feel like he's with us even more. It makes me feel somehow he's up there watching her grow up. She was his entire world."

Silence. But not awkward silence.

"Bella?"

I looked over and he seemed sad, but determined. I knew what was coming.

"Yes?"

"I know I have no fucking right at all to ask you this, so please just tell me to go fuck myself if you want to, but can you tell me what happened?"

I knew I needed to tell him. In a sick, twisted way, I felt some sort of power over him because I had the answers that he wanted. I held the knowledge in the palm of my hand and I had no obligation to share anything with him. However, I was a fair person, with a good heart, and I didn't want to hold back anything from him. I knew we both would feel better after we got that conversation over with, so asked him if he'd like to check on the girls and meet me outside on the steps to talk.

"Sure. I'll be right back, okay?"

"Okay."

A few minutes later, he returned. "Mom is going to watch them for a little bit. It looked like they were picking out a movie to watch and I heard your daughter asking if they could make some popcorn. Of course, Makenna's mouth started to water at the mention of her favorite snack, so they're off to learn the old-fashioned way of making popcorn. Real kernels and all." He chuckled. "You know how my mom gets. If you can make it yourself and not use a microwave, then that's how you should do it. She might've met her match with our kids."

"Our kids," I laughed. "Never in a million years did I even think we would be parents, ya know? But I wouldn't change a thing."

He cleared his throat. "So, you ready?"

"I guess."

"Listen, you don't have to do this if you don't-"

"No, it's fine. Want to grab a drink to take with us? I have a feeling this might take a while. Oh, and we might need some tissues, too." I looked up at Edward and he rolled his eyes.

"Do you still cry at Hallmark commercials, Bizzy?" He joked.

"Unfortunately, it's more than just greeting card commercials now-a-days," I answered honestly.

"All right then, I'll grab two bottles of water and some tissues. It's a little chilly out today from all the rain. Why don't you bring the throw blanket that's on the back of the chair, too?"

"Sure thing. I'll meet you out there in a minute, okay?"

I walked to the bathroom to get myself together. I was nervous about having the conversation with Edward, and to be with him without any distractions.

If only my brain could catch up with my heart. _Shit. This is going to be hard._

**~~ E & B ~~**

_**Edward**_

I closed the front door and looked out into the peaceful water. I wished that both my mind and heart were as calm as the waves before me. I could see birds soaring through the sky squawking at each other as if they were having a conversation, and the lush green trees were swaying with the breeze. The rain had stopped but a light mist was still in the air.

As I took in the magnificent scenery, I sat down on the step and wondered how our conversation would turn out. It felt as if the weight of the world was on my shoulders.

When she excused herself to use the bathroom, I was thankful to have a moment to myself. Not only was I shocked to walk in and see Bella sitting there, but to learn she had a daughter with Jake was a hard pill to swallow. Not because she was a mom, but because it was just another thing on my growing list of failures.

MC was beautiful. At first glance I saw only Bella in her, but the more I looked, I could see Jake too and that realization made me almost lose my breath. He was standing in my parents' house, looking at me through his daughters' eyes, and I wanted to profess my never ending apologies to her, as if she were him. Of course I got my shit together and didn't though. In that moment, I decided at some point in time I needed to go to see Jake at his grave. I would be damn sure to confess all my sins and beg for his forgiveness.

Seeing Bella in my parents' house was a shocker. I had a feeling I would end up mentally drained before our day was over. I was practically already there thanks to my first week at the hospital being shitty. I got called in on post-op cases, with most of the patients not recovering smoothly. I hoped it was the luck of the low man on the totem poll and things would get better for me in time.

Makenna was adjusting to school slowly. She liked her new teacher but had yet to make any friends. She was always so shy and it took a while for her to open herself up. Apparently that was not the case with MC, and they acted like the best of friends already.

My mom had been my savior. She picked Makenna up every day from school, helped her with her homework and had dinner on the table when I walked in the door. I was enjoying the help while I started a new routine for us; it was nice to have my family for support.

The door opened and closed behind me indicating Bella was ready to join me. I turned my head to the left and looked over my shoulder with an encouraging smile. She looked a little nervous, but returned it as she walked over to where I was and sat down beside me.

"You weren't lying about your mom going all out making popcorn. I could hear her giving step by step directions on the proper way to rotate the pot, to insure the kernels popped correctly and didn't burn." She laughed.

"That's my mom for you." I responded with my own nervous laugh.

I was not sure if I should let her take the lead or if I should start talking and ask the questions my mind had accrued since I saw her last.

Bella looked out into the water and stared at the dock that sat to the left of the property. I only caught the corners of her eyes but could see that they were filled with longing. I wondered what she was thinking about, but did not want to push her. I knew I needed to be thankful for her even agreeing to talk to me; I had no right to ask her such personal questions.

Her eyes stayed fixed on the dock for a short time before she closed them and sighed. I stayed quiet to give her time to get through whatever she was obviously thinking about.

She cleared her throat and turned to look at me before she spoke.

"I'm guessing you want to know about Jake, right?" She questioned.

"Yeah I do. I still can't believe he's gone." I responded as I shook my head.

"Where do I even start?" She asked me, but I knew that she was asking herself how much she really wanted to relive.

"Wherever you're comfortable, Bella. I'm sure it's painful to talk about still," I said and then patted her leg briefly without thinking about it. Her eyes darted to my hand and I pulled it away afraid, I had crossed the line.

"There isn't too much to tell really. Jake had back pain for about a year but always insisted it was from all the work he did at the shop. After awhile he had other symptoms, so I convinced him to see his doctor." She paused and took a deep breath. "And we were informed a week later that he was already in stage four of kidney cancer." As she stopped I could hear her voice start to crack, as if she was reliving that moment again.

My mind started to race back to the text books I spent countless hours, nose deep in to recall what I had learned about this form of carcinoma.

Blood in the urine. Weight loss. Fatigue. Treatments. Chemotherapy. Clinical trials. Death.

Tears sprung to my eyes and before I even knew it I was sobbing. My friend had suffered for a long time and it could have possibly been prevented if he would not have been so fucking stubborn and went to his doctor earlier.

"Damn it, Bella. If I wasn't a fucking jackass and was here, I would've known it wasn't just back pain from bending over a piece of shit car all day. I could've made sure he was seen by the best doctors and evaluated all his tests and treatments. I…I could have helped prevent him from dying." I sobbed as I hung my head.

Bella wrapped her arm around my back as she whispered soft _shhhs _to try and calm me down. I could hear her sniffling, which only made my tears continue.

We didn't speak for a couple minutes. The peace around us was not comforting, but I was at a loss for words.

"I'm so fucking sorry, Bella. I should've been there for you, for Jake, hell for everyone. I fucked up so much by leaving. I'm sorry that I wasn't here to help you guys get through this. I know you didn't have my number, but I wish you would have called my dad to look over his case and help with his care. He wouldn't have thought twice about it, you know that." I looked up at her through my glossy eyes as I spoke and was met with the same exact look starring back at me.

"Edward," she said softly cutting off my rant, "You know how Jake was. He wouldn't have listened to you and would've brushed it off just as he did. The day after we learned his diagnosis, he said he would _consider_ chemotherapy, saying MC deserved to know that he tried it out just in case it worked, but he didn't have high hopes. Within a week he told me he had already made peace with having cancer. That whatever his fate was would happen, and that he felt privileged to have had the time he did. Jake said he had MC to live the full life he wouldn't have, and wasn't going to waste a single day with her while wallowing. He-" That time I cut her off.

"Are you saying he didn't try anything?" I shot back. My blood was boiling, pissed off at the thought of Jake not willing to fight it.

"Calm down, Edward," she said as she started to rub my back slowly before she continued.

"He did two rounds of chemo and after it was confirmed there were no changes to the tumor, he said he was done with treatments."

"He could've tried other options. The Mayo Clinic always has clinical trials with new procedures and state-of-the-art medications. If I was here, I could have convinced him to try that route."

Bella shook her head to disagree with me with a sad smile on her face.

"Edward, he wouldn't have. Like he told me, he was at peace with it. He wanted to spend every minute with MC, not hooked up to an IV. He wouldn't try anything experimental, that was not his style, and you know it."

"I know, but I'm so pissed right now. I'm upset with him for not wanting to do anything and everything to stick around for _you_. I'm pissed off at myself for feeling this way when I know he would never just walk out on you, if he was given the choice. I… I just don't know how to deal with this right now, on top of everything else I'm feeling." I stopped myself.

She wiped her tears on the blanket.

"Edward, you have to let the anger go because there's nothing you can do to change it. It was Jake's fate and in the end, he made the best of his remaining time he had with me and MC," she said quietly.

"I guess that's good," I answered, still not understanding why he didn't try all the options. Then in occurred to me what Bella must have gone through with MC during all of that.

I wrapped my arm around her and became the one who gave reassuring rubs during our conversation.

"Oh God, Bella, how did you handle this with your daughter?" I asked concerned about how the beautiful little girl inside dealt with having her father taken away from her at such a young age.

It made my heart ache for her and for some odd reason, Makenna too. What would she do if I wasn't there anymore? The feeling was almost too much for me to handle. I hoped my little girl never had to live without me around.

Bella squeezed me a little tighter as if she was thanking me. She may not have realized it but I've always cared for her well being and now that I learned of MC's existence, I was concerned for her too.

"Jake and MC spent as much time together as he could handle. Towards the end we went to stay in La Push with Billy and my mom flew in to help with MC. Jake was in and out of consciousness and didn't know who we were. We both still talked to him and held his hand. I remember her singing to him. She wasn't even two yet but somehow she knew." She stopped and broke out into full blown tears. I wrapped my arms around her tighter and she rested her head on my shoulder.

After a few deep breaths that I felt against my neck, she started again.

"I knew it was time that morning when I woke up. I can't tell you how, but I just did. I asked my mom to take MC to the park, then told her to go tell her daddy goodbye before she left," Her voice dropped to a whisper and she continued, "Jake taught her how to do Eskimo kisses, so she walked up to his bedside and stood on the stool we had there for her and gave him an Eskimo kiss goodbye and said she loved him. He left us about twenty minutes later." She continued to cry but her tears and soft gasps for air slowly calmed.

I sat once again looking out over the water trying to absorb everything Bella had told me. I knew she was right, I could not be angry about something that had happened years ago. I also knew I needed time to grieve Jake's death; I would do that on my own though, Bella didn't need my sadness to bring her down.

All I wanted to do was to follow my instincts and pull her into my lap and hold her there forever, but knew I better not.

I cleared my throat and wiped my eyes.

"I'm so sorry for your and MC's loss, Bella. I can't tell you enough how much I wish I was here. I'm also sorry for the way I left. I was heartbroken after you and Jake made amends that day."

Suddenly, her face whipped around to face me and her eyes looked straight into mine.

"Stop right there, Edward, I can't do this with you here; not with MC around. I'm not sure how I'm going to handle whatever your reasons were. I have so much to say to you that I'm not sure I would be able to get through all of that then have to face her right away."

"I understand. I really appreciate you taking the time to talk to me about Jake. I told you before, and I will say it again, when you're ready I would like talk about everything."

"Well, MC and Makenna seem to have hit it off. If your mom is willing to watch them for awhile, maybe we can go get some dinner?" She asked, sheepishly.

Silly girl, as if I would ever say no to spending more time with her.

"That would be awesome. Are you sure you really want to talk some more today? I don't want to push you." I was shocked that she suggested dinner, but would take any time she willingly gave in a heartbeat.

"I'm sure. I'm ready to get all of this off my chest because it's been a long time coming. I've waited years to get answers from you, but I would love to go home and change first. I feel sticky after sitting out here for so long and my hair is a mess."

I almost told her that she was crazy and she looked beautiful, as always, but I settled for, "That's fine. Why don't you go home and get cleaned up and I'll pick you up in an hour. Sound good?"

"Sounds good, but I need to talk to MC first and make sure she's ok with staying here a little longer."

"You do that and I will confirm with my mom that she doesn't have any plans for the night and doesn't mind watching them."

Our hold on each other released, and I stood first then offered my hand to help her up. She gave it a little squeeze before she let go.

We walked in the house together then parted ways. She walked upstairs to find the girls, and I walked towards the sounds of my mom humming in the kitchen.

"Hello, dear. Did you kids have a nice talk?"

"Yeah we did, but we wanted to ask if you'd mind looking after the girls for awhile. We wanted to go get some dinner and continue to catch up; if that's alright with you, of course?" I questioned nervously.

I had no reason to be nervous with her, but there was something about the way she was grinning at me that made me feel like she was up to something. A second later, she confirmed what I had suspected.

"You two are going on a date? That's wonderful! Of course I'll look after the girls." She clapped her hands together as she spoke and her eyes lit up with excitement.

"No, Mom, it's not a date. We just want some more time to catch up. "

"It's okay, honey, you don't need to explain it to me. You can classify _having dinner_ any way you want to." She grinned at me.

I laughed out loud. My mother was acting crazy and was getting ahead of herself.

"Really it's just dinner with two people there to talk, nothing more. Trust me, if it was a date, I would do better than going to a pizza joint."

My mom continued to look at me clearly pondering what to say next. She wiped off her hands and started to walk towards me.

"Remember the New Year's Resolution I suggested for you to consider, son?" She put both her hands on my shoulders and looked me straight in the eyes.

I nodded my head. _Rebuilding friendships_. How could I forget?

"Well, here's some good advice; _friendship _is a good place to start if you ever want that real date." She squeezed my shoulders before she winked at me, and then turned to walk away.

I smiled at my mom, _always the dreamer_. At that point, I would be lucky if Bella ever considered me a friend again; asking her out on date was out of the question.

Bella came downstairs shortly after and said MC was excited to stay. I informed her that my mom was indeed happy to look after the girls and we confirmed that I would pick her up in an hour.

She said goodbye to me quickly, then went to see my mom. I could hear their hushed words and laughter, it made me smile.

I went upstairs to change out of my scrubs and check on the girls. They were lounging on Makenna's large bed, stuffing popcorn in their mouths and laughing.

Everyone in the house seemed happy and enjoyed each other's company. It felt so good… so right.

I could only hope today was a new beginning for all of us.

**A/N: *sniffles* Does anyone have a tissue we can borrow? Just don't worry about Edward. We don't have a line forming to console him because ladysharkey1 has him resting lovingly against her chest, stroking her fingers through his hair. He'll be just fine. They'll all be fine. We promise!**

**One of our readers, Miss Baby, just started a new story… a romance… and it's only 5 chapters in so far. Plus it updates every Wednesday. It's called La Dolce Vita and you should **_**totally**_** give it a try.**

**We mentioned last week that our banner, created by Heatherdawn, was nominated in The Sunflower Awards. Also, we learned this week that our ALICE has also been nominated, which we are beyond happy about. Voting is now open! =)**

**HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!**

**Thanks for reading. If you have the time, please review and we'll send you a teaser of the next chapter.**


	8. Just Breathe

**Thank you to our beta LZTZ, and prereader tanglingshadows, for all of their help and support.**

**Disclaimer: We don't own Twilight, but it owns us.**

**Chapter 8 – Just Breathe**

_**Bella**_

My talk with Edward had gone better than I had hoped it would. It felt like a religious experience; a much needed cleansing of my soul. I felt guilty for years, and even with counseling it never truly went away. I learned to forgive myself for my actions, but never for the feelings that I had harbored for Edward. He was always in the back of my mind, and I knew it was wrong when I was married to another man, but I couldn't shut off how I felt.

I was still coming to terms with the fact that Edward had a daughter and that she and MC got along so well. Our girls had so much in common; they were both sweet and innocent and their instant connection reminded me so much of what Alice and I had shared.

After taking a quick shower to wash away the grim and tears, I had changed into a pair of my favorite jeans and a hoodie. A knock on the door alerted me to the fact that an hour had passed and Edward had arrived. I was anxious to spend more time with him. Although I had bonded with him years ago in high school, and that feeling never died; it also scared the crap out of me if I was honest with myself.

He stood in the breezeway of my small, ranch style yellow house that Jake and I had purchased after our wedding. Edward was dressed in dark jeans and a fitted gray t-shirt, with his hair sticking up all over his head, he looked nervous.

"I think I'm a little early. If you want me to wait in my car for you, that's fine." He turned to start walk away when I had a slight moment of panic and reached for his hand.

"It's okay. Why don't you come in? I'll be ready in about 10 minutes." Edward nodded his head in agreement. "I just need to finish drying my hair and grab some shoes."

"Take your time. My mom said we don't need to rush and the girls were painting when I left. Do you mind if I sit down while you finish?" He said as he walked towards my couch.

"Sure. Make yourself at home. Do you need a drink?" I picked at my fingernails inside the pocket of my hoodie. I didn't know why I was so nervous, but my entire body felt on edge.

"I'm good. Thank you."

One ponytail, two shoes and five minutes later, I left my bedroom and turned to find my way back to where I had left Edward. When I did, I saw him looking at the pictures that hung in the hallway. He didn't notice me as his eyes moved from photo and photo and stopped at one of Jake holding our daughter on her first birthday. She was covered in icing from ear to ear, her hands had a grip on his hair and he had a small chocolate handprint on his cheek. But what I loved most about that picture was his huge, adoring smile while he looked down at her. It never occurred to him that she was painting him with cake and icing, but rather he only focused on the love and pride he had in every small action she made. She was his universe, his sun.

"I love this picture. He looked so happy holding her."

"It's my favorite picture and yes, he was always happy when it came to her. He's the only man I've ever heard of that even volunteered to change dirty diapers. He was a natural."

"I like this one, too," he said as he pointed to a picture of our family taken at a local park by Alice. Jake and I were sitting on top of a picnic table under a huge tree, with MC sitting on my lap. She had her feet resting on Jake; his arm was wrapped around my waist and my head on his shoulder. Jake's hair was shorter than he preferred it due to his chemotherapy treatments.

"Me too. That was a good day. He had finished his second round of chemo a few days earlier and just wanted to get out of the house to get some fresh air. He asked to take her to the park, like any other father could. Although he came home and slept for hours afterwards, because he was so worn out, he said it was worth it and that he couldn't wait to do it again," I said with a hint of pride.

"That sounds like him." He turned to me. "You ready to go?" His green eyes looked into mine.

I nodded and he waited while I locked the door and set the alarm.

"Wow! Nice car, Cullen."

"Thanks. I bought it while I was still in Chicago before I found out I would move back home." _Home._ I was honestly glad he was back again.

Edward opened the door and I climbed into his SUV. He closed the door for me and walked around to his side. "This is great. I've always wanted leather seats. Please tell me they're heated," I begged.

"Push this button right here and you can control the temperature of your seat." He chuckled. "I had forgotten that you're chronically cold. Why on earth did you buy a convertible?"

"I knew I wanted a red Mini Cooper and all they had on the lot that day was a convertible. Let's just say the salesman was very good at his job." I rolled my eyes remembering my moment of weakness. "I think we're going to trade cars, just so you know. I love this car! So, where are we headed?"

"Does pizza sound good? I'm not in the mood for anything much more than that. We could find a deli if you'd rather not have pizza."

"Pizza sounds great, but it won't be as good as the Chicago-style pizza you've grown accustomed too." With that response, I turned and watched my neighborhood go by as he drove.

We arrived at the restaurant and Edward parked as far away from the door as possible. He didn't want to take a chance of someone damaging his car. I didn't blame him.

Walking in the door we were greeted by a hostess in a short, black skirt, button down red blouse and knee-high hooker boots. From the way she stared at Edward, I felt that she was acting as if she were lioness trying to stake her mate. I leaned into Edward instinctively and I felt his hand move to my lower back.

The lioness sat us at a small table in the middle of the dining area and leaned over towards Edward from the opposite side of the table, effectively flashing her boobs at him. He was oblivious to her mating calls.

After looking over the menu, we both ordered salads, decided to share a pizza between us. I had a glass of wine while he opted for a Bud Light. The conversation stayed on easy topics, but I felt the need to get some answers.

"Edward, I hate to be so blunt… well not really, but I need to know… how, how could you just leave me like that? I needed you and you left me behind without any explanations or even a simple goodbye. Why?" I picked at the tablecloth while I waited for an answer. My voice sounded strong, but I wondered if he heard the nervousness as well.

"Bella, you have to know that was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life," he whispered and then continued. "I left because I didn't want to be in the way of you and Jake working on your marriage. I couldn't watch you with him, knowing that you chose him over me. I couldn't do it." He placed his uneaten piece of pizza back down onto his plate. "I wanted to be with you so badly, but when I overheard you tell Jake that our night was a mistake, I just freaked, called my dad and left for Chicago. I didn't care where I went, but I had to get away. I had to let you go."

"What do you mean you overhead me telling Jake anything? That's just not true. I've had all this guilt built up inside of me for years because I never told him about us. _Never_. What are you talking about?" I said, and waited for him to look up at me or talk. At that point, he seemed speechless.

_The man is delusional if he thinks I said I wanted to fix my marriage. It's always been him._

"The day of the Charlie's funeral, I went to find you; I heard you and Jake talking on the porch. I could tell you were crying, you said you made a mistake and could never fix it. I heard him say that you guys would get through it together. I'm sorry for listening… but once I heard you speaking, I couldn't pull myself away. Well, not until I heard him say you'd get through it as husband and wife. I panicked and ran to my car and-"

"Stop! Hold on! I don't even know what you're talking about. It happened so long ago and I was so upset over losing my dad that I don't remember what happened in the days that followed. But I know I didn't tell Jake that and I never said we were a mistake. Edward, even to this day, I've never thought that." I looked into his eyes and saw confusion and doubt in them. I didn't know what he thought he heard while he eavesdropped on our conversation, but his interpretation that day was wrong.

We were quiet again as I tried to remember what was said between Jake and I. I guessed he was lost in his memories just as I was. Meanwhile, the lioness prowled and asked to refill our drinks.

"No Bella. I know what I heard and I wouldn't have left if-"

"No _Edward_, I don't know what you heard, but it wasn't what you thought. I…"

_Holy shit. I remember._ "Oh crap." I paused while I made all the connections. I looked back up at him. "I think I remember. I was out front with Jake and we talked about my mom sending me back to their house to sleep and while I was gone, my dad passed away. I wasn't there with him." I started to softly cry, remembering the pain I'd felt. "I didn't get to tell him I loved him one more time or to hold his hand."

I heard the scratching of Edward's chair on the floor and then I was in his arms in the middle of the restaurant. Tears ran down my face and onto his shirt as I melted into him.

"I'm sorry. I'm so fucking sorry, Bella. I should've been there and I'll never forgive myself for leaving you. I've made so many mistakes. I'm sorry. I'm here now and I'm never leaving again." He was desperate for me to understand his betrayal.

Slowly my breathing returned to normal and I realized I made a mess on his shirt. "I'm sorry for being such a baby. I don't know why I did-"

"Don't be sorry. I should've been there for you. I assumed so much that day and look at where it left us. I'm the one that's sorry, Bizzy. I just hope that someday you'll be able to find it in your heart to forgive me," he said as he sat me back in my chair.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Anything."

"I realize now that you left because you thought you were helping me, but… Charlie thought of you as a son. How could you leave and not attend his funeral?" I picked my paper napkin apart as I was full of nervous energy. Edward released his hold on me and went back to his seat.

"I wasn't in my right mind, Bella. My world came crumbling down. I went from being the happiest man on earth, finally getting to be with the love of my life, to losing her within a few days. But I want you to know, that each time I came back to Seattle, I made my way to Forks to visit his grave. I think Charlie understood why I wasn't there and that helped me. I've told him everything." He looked into my eyes, almost begging me to understand what _everything_ meant.

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"Are you still hungry?" I asked. I didn't want to be here any longer. "Do you want to go someplace else?"

"Sure. I'll get the tab paid. Why don't you run to the restroom and I'll meet you by the exit, okay?" He asked with the first smile I had been graced with since we'd arrived.

"Okay."

We had been driving around for about half an hour in amicable peace. We were asking each other small questions while he drove, about our kids and family. I learned that Edward's condo was not too far from our home, that he signed a year lease and was interested in buying a house someday.

Around an hour after leaving the restaurant, we pulled into a small park. There were several cars in the parking lot, but I didn't see anyone around.

Edward reached down to take my hand and we walked over towards the swings. With one final squeeze, Edward released me and we sat down and slowly swung next to each other. It was early evening, and if we stayed more than an hour, we would probably need a jacket.

"So, you had said that you went to a therapist, did you and Jake go together?" Edward asked, breaking the silence. The only noises I heard were the sound of the leaves blowing in the trees and the squeaking chains from the swings.

"No, we didn't go to marriage counseling, though my counselor had suggested it many times. I went to get myself together. After my dad died and you left, I went through a period of severe depression. I didn't return home for close to four months. I stayed with my mom and helped her get the house cleaned out and ready to sell. She moved to Phoenix with a friend a few weeks before I finally left. I still see my therapist monthly and so does MC. I know I told you about how guilty I felt after everything that happened, but I had to accept the fact that although I knew what we did was ultimately wrong, it was okay that I didn't regret it. It took me a long time to finally admit that to her. Once I accepted it, I found it was easier to let you go."

"I'm-"

"Please don't say you're sorry again. I get it. I know you are, but you know what? It's been eight years, Edward, and I'm not the same person, and from what I can tell, you aren't either. If you wouldn't have left, I would have left Jake and I wouldn't have MC. But more importantly, I was able to take care of Jake when he needed me the most. I may have felt guilty for cheating on him, but I don't think I could've forgiven myself if he had to go through all that cancer bullshit alone. I don't regret trying to fix things with him. Jake and I may or may not have planned to become parents, but we did it together and we were damn good at it too. So don't fucking say you're sorry to me again. I'm not sorry and you don't need to be either. Let's just move on, got it?"

"Yes."

I reached over and held his hand as we swung together in silence. I didn't know how long we sat there quietly, but I eventually noticed that the stars were twinkling in the sky and the last of the remaining cars drove away. All I knew was one thing… I had no idea where we would go after I told him, but we'd talked about so much, that I knew I couldn't hold it in any longer. We needed to decide how to proceed and I couldn't wait much longer.

"I need to know that something extraordinary is possible."

**~~ E & B ~~**

_**Edward**_

Hearing Bella state that she needed to know if something extraordinary was possible, sent a shiver down my spine. I knew she was referring to us. Maybe not as a couple, but to be in each other's lives in whatever capacity we found fit.

I saw it as a miracle we had run into each other after so many years. Fate was definitely on my side that night. I told Bella long ago, I would be in her life as a friend or as a lover, it was her choice. It was the time I actually lived up to my promise; I would be whoever she wanted to me to be.

My feet grounded themselves into the bark to stop the swing, and I jumped off quickly, before turning towards Bella.

I wished the night sky was not surrounding us so she could see my eyes as I spoke to her. I wanted her to see deep down to the bottom of my soul and know that every word I said was the truth.

I grabbed her swing to bring it to an abrupt, stop then crouched down in front of her. Her eyes were wide open as she took the corner of her bottom lip into her mouth, clearly stunned by my quick actions. I kept eye contact with her, not even allowing myself to blink, as I slowly brought my thumb up to pull her lip out.

I did not want her to be nervous; she had no reason to be. It was just me…. just us.

I swallowed the lump that was stuck in my throat before I spoke.

"You're referring to us, right, Bella?" I whispered, wanting to keep my voice low as I tried to keep my nervousness tucked away. I knew this was a turning point for us, and she had to know I never wanted to look back.

"I am. I need to know if I welcome you back into my life, you won't walk away. I can't go through that again, Edward. You've broken my heart twice in this lifetime; I don't think I can handle it a third time." Her tone matched mine as she closed her eyes.

"Bella, you have to know I can no longer live in a world where you don't exist. I've tried it and let me tell you, it was hell. I thought about you all the fucking time. I wanted to get my shit together and come back to find you, but as time passed, I felt like I didn't deserve the chance to see you again."

Tears were slipping down her beautiful cheeks, but I could not let them stop me from what needed to be said, she deserved to hear it.

"As much as I would like to turn back time, I can't. To be honest with you, besides leaving you, there isn't much I would change either. I have Makenna now, she's my world and I've finally became the man I always hoped to be. I know you understand since you have MC, and it appears like you have created a good life for you guys."

She nodded, but stayed quiet, sensing I was not finished talking.

"I want to be in your life in any way you'll allow me to be, Bella. Even if it's to babysit MC when you want a break, or come to your rescue when a mouse finds its way in your house." I said trying to lighten the mood a little. She laughed at me and wiped her tears away.

I put my hand on top of hers and ducked my head a little to grab her attention again.

"Seriously though, _please _tell me we can be friends again. I want that more than anything right now," I whispered.

Before I knew what was happening, Bella had jumped up and wrapped her arms around me. My body naturally took her into my arms and held her tight.

"I want that too, Edward." Her simple statement made my heart soar.

We stayed like that for a few minutes with no further words spoken between us. I looked up into the sky and said a silent thank you to Charlie. I knew he was the one that always had my back when it came to Bella. I felt his presence surrounding us and knew he was on the job.

After all of my visits to his grave, I knew he was the only person in heaven and on earth that understood how much she meant to me. I could hear him now, _Boy, you fuck up this chance and screw over my baby girl again, I will find a way to meet you at the Pearly Gates a lot sooner than you expected. You understand? _ I hear you Charlie; I will _never_ do wrong by her again.

I squeezed her tight one last time then let her go. We took our seats back on the swings, straddling them so we faced each other.

"So," she said, as she tilted her head a little. "What have you been up to until I saw you on New Year's Eve?"

"Oh, nothing terribly exciting." I responded, wanting to be playful with her.

"Of course not, you're only a father now, who happened to relocate across country, without his daughter's mother." She shrugged, playing along with me.

Jessica. She never really liked her and no matter how much she said that she had accepted her, I knew the truth.

"Jessica now travels with her husband, Mike, who owns his own IT consulting company. They've been moving around for the last year. She-" Bella cut me off before I could go on.

"I know that part already, thanks to your mom. What I meant was what happened to you guys? She went with you to Chicago and you had Makenna, so I'm surprised you didn't stay together."

I gave her the whole story about what my life was like after we arrived in Chicago, and how both Jessica and I freaked out when we discovered she was pregnant. I explained how we managed to keep our tattered relationship going throughout the years for Makenna's sake. I described the day Jessica came to me and said she was done hoping that one day I could love her enough to want a future together.

I went into details about Lauren, and how things ended with her as well. When I told Bella the part about how she was threatened by Makenna, I was pretty sure I heard a low growl. She only met Makenna earlier that day and I loved that she was acting like a mama bear over my daughter.

"What happened with school, Edward? I'm sure you fucked that up by dropping out." She asked changing the direction I was talking about. I wondered if she hated hearing about me with other women still, as it was always a sore subject in our friendship.

"I did fuck that up, but thanks to my dad, I was able to get back on track." I said, and then went into details about being forced to wait a year to restart my internship. She questioned my reasons for picking Family Practice instead of a specialty; it was so like Bella to call me out on shorting myself.

All my life I knew I was destined to become a doctor. I was intrigued by my father's love of his work, and knew I wanted a place in the world of medicine. My father once told me that the best feeling in the world was to hold someone's beating heart in the palm of his hands. The fact that he had the knowledge to repair whatever damage it had, to ensure the patient could live another day with their family, was the greatest gift he was ever given besides having a family to call his own. I had wanted to experience that myself but when it came time to choose a path on what specialty I wanted to do, nothing called to me. Bella was right, in a lot of ways I settled with choosing Family Practice, but I got a great amount of enjoyment keeping people healthy. The best perk was a set schedule that allowed me to get home to my daughter at a reasonable hour every night. I also knew that if a specialty caught my eye, I could pursue it with all my general credentials completed.

It was exhilarating to share all of that with Bella, to have her know as much as she could about how I got to the place in life I'm at. I wanted to know everything I could about her life in return. I followed the nonchalant approach from earlier to take in whatever she would share with me.

"So," I said calmly. "What has the great Isabella Marie Swan Black been up to?" I asked. She laughed at my choice of words.

Bella told me all about finishing her degree and how she didn't enjoy teaching as much as she thought she would, but loved her current position as a Principal. She explained how completing her master's degree and moving up in the career world wasn't that easy while being a single parent. I was so proud of her for sticking to her plans; I always knew she could do whatever she set her mind to. I did not think Bella ever realized how much internal strength she had. I hoped that after everything she had been through in life, she could finally see how amazing she really was.

After she brought up being a single parent, I remembered my dad had told me Renee had moved away. I wondered who Bella had as a support system without her mom around. I understood how it felt to do everything on your own with no one to rely upon; it couldn't have been easy for her.

"I heard about your mom moving away and I bet that was hard on you. Who watched MC while you were in school?" I asked concerned. "I'm sure you could have used her help."

Bella laughed a little, which confused me.

"Actually, Jasper was MC's babysitter. I know you're thinking what is a bar owner doing at home watching a kid, right? Jasper has always been business savvy. This is actually his second bar he has opened; the first one is where her met Allie. He was the manager and ended up buying the place a couple of years later. He somehow worked out a schedule around the days I had classes and would take MC for me. He's a complete natural when it comes to kids; he actually stays home with their two boys now, since Allie is busy taking over the shoe world, _one step at a time_. That's her words, not mine." She laughed.

She was right; I would never guess that Jasper was a stay at home dad. I was envious of him a little bit. I would love nothing more than to spend all day with Makenna.

"I take it you weren't working and going to school at the same time then?" I asked.

"No. I was lucky I didn't have to, as I'm not sure if I would've been able to function doing all that. After Jake died, Embry bought his share of the garage from me. The money was enough to take care of our needs. I was lucky to have Jasper and Allie when I needed them, and Billy, too, actually. He started to take MC one weekend a month for me and we have kept that up."

I was happy to hear that Bella was surrounded by people that loved her and stepped up when she needed someone. They supported her decision to further her education and were able to take MC off her hands. It was times like that, hearing Bella speak of having to rely on people to help raise her child, that I was thankful that Jessica was around for our daughter when I was in the same situation.

We talked some more about how she found time to balance her every day life with MC's school and soccer schedule. I expressed my interests in finding something for Makenna to do which would help her meet new people and come out of her shell. Bella suggested asking her if she wanted to give soccer a try.

I felt like Bella and I were up to date on each other's lives, but there was one thing she never mentioned and I was dying to know.

"I know Masen was your date the other night, but is he your boyfriend?" I questioned her.

"Nope, I'm single. I met him at the bar and was enjoying his attention." She replied smugly. A big smile appeared on her face, then she added, "Why are you asking, Cullen?"

"Because we're _friends_ so it's my right to know." I gave her my cheesiest grin.

I looked down at my watch and noticed the time. I hated the thought of ending the night with Bella, but we both had little girls that we needed to get home to.

"We better get going, it's getting late and I've monopolized enough of your time today."

She agreed, and we made our way back to my SUV. We spent the ride to my parents' house quiet and enjoyed the easy feeling we shared in each other's presence. Soft music filled the car and I could see her eyes drooping closed every now and then. I was thrilled to see that she was feeling the peace and comfort between us just as much as I was.

When we got to the house, MC was sleeping soundly in the bed while Makenna lay next to her. It was a sight that put a smile on my face. Not only did Bella and I reconnect, but our daughters connected in a way that almost felt like they were more than friends. Both girls were wearing pajamas I had never seen before, and it made me wonder what else she had hidden in the bedroom.

My mom tried to keep the girls overnight, but both Bella and I protested that they needed to go home to their own beds and would be back to visit with her soon. She pouted a little but as I walked out of the house carrying MC's sleeping body and Bella holding Makenna's hand, she gave us a bright smile and waved goodbye.

Bella asked Makenna some questions about the girls' night and they agreed that another play date was in order soon. I drove through the streets of Seattle listening to them talk, amazed that our lives already seemed to be woven together.

I knew it could only get better and what I said earlier in the evening was true; this was a new beginning.

Makenna stayed awake throughout our drive and got out of the SUV with Bella's help when we arrived. I insisted on carrying MC into the house so Bella wouldn't have to try and juggle getting the door open and turning a light on while holding her.

When I went to unbuckle MC out of her seat belt and started to lift her up, she reached for me and then snuggled into my chest with one hand grasping my shirt. My heart beat with excitement. I could not wait to get to know that sweet little girl and watch her grow into an amazing person, just like her mother.

I laid her down in the bed, covering her up to keep her warm. Before I realized what I was doing, my lips touched her forehead with a kiss. It felt so natural and that thought made me smile to myself.

Movement caught my eye and I turned quickly.

It was Bella; she had seen the whole thing. She gave me a soft smile then turned to walk away. I saw her wipe a tear before she was out of my sight.

I shut MC's door and walked back to the living room where Bella was bent down hugging Makenna goodbye. She stood up when she saw me enter the room and we gave each other that awkward stare, the one you express when you do not want to say goodbye.

"Well, I better get going and get this one to bed. Thank you for everything today. Can we exchange numbers so we can get together again soon?" I asked.

She nodded her head and started to dig in her purse for her phone, but before she found it Makenna, jumped into our conversation.

"You don't need to get it from Bella, Daddy. MC and I switched numbers already," she proudly stated.

"You're the best wingman ever, Kenni Bear," I said with a laugh and Bella joined in.

Makenna did not understand what I was saying and scrunched her little face up, and then asked what I was talking about.

I told her I was just joking and that it was great she had their number for us already. I gave Bella a little wink and she tried to suppress a giggle.

We shared the same awkward look from minutes before, and as much as I wanted to stand there all night, I knew it was time to go.

I stepped forward and embraced her. Without any hesitations she wrapped her arms around me and sighed.

I bent my head a little to whisper into her ear, trying to make it a somewhat intimate moment, even though my daughters' eyes were glued on us.

"I missed you."

**A/N: Everyone needs a wingman in their lives, so it's a good thing Makenna is on the job! **

**So, raise your hand if you're starting to forgive Edward a little. *ladysharkey1 raises her hand* **

**Wow, Bella is super strong, right? *jadsmama nods in agreement***

**Thanks for reading. If you have the time, please review and we'll send you a teaser of the next chapter.**


	9. I like It, I Love It

**Thank you to our beta LZTZ, and pre-reader tanglingshadows, for all of their help and support.**

**Disclaimer: We don't own Twilight, but it owns us.**

**Chapter 9 – ****I Like It, I Love It**

_**Edward**_

A couple weeks had passed since that day on the porch. We shared several conversations when the girls called each other, but the more contact I had with her, the more I craved it. My ears ached for her laughs and the sweet tone her voice carried when she was happy. I fought the urge to call her every day because I didn't want to overwhelm or push her. After two weeks of that internal battle, I noticed I was finding reasons to text her. It got to the point where we exchanged texts daily about nothing in particular. When she started to initiate them, it felt good to know she was thinking about me too.

Makenna bugged me constantly to invite MC over to play since Bella promised the girls we they would see each other again. Unfortunately, I was asked to pick up an extra shift for a colleague that had a family emergency. It caused me to work the prior two weekends which took away my free time. My mom suggested she could invite MC over when she was watching Makenna, but I brushed her offer off. She called me out on it and said, O_f course you'd rather set it up so you can see Bella._

When I returned to my normal shift, I made plans for the four us to go bowling. I figured Makenna and MC would have fun and it would allow Bella and I the chance to spend some time together. The Strikeforce Entertainment Center had something called _Moonlight Bowling_ and the girls were ecstatic to try it out.

We arrived at their house and before I could turn off the ignition, Makenna bolted from my car. I was about to lecture her on safety until I saw MC dart out of the door at the exact same time. She ran up to Makenna and pulled her into a big hug. Bella was on her heels from the looks of it and she was about to give MC an ear full.

Bella looked over to the car with her hands on her hips and her face full of irritated beauty. _Well, she is beautiful. _I started to laugh, we were going to be in trouble with those two, and God help us when they become teenagers.

_We better have a two story house, so I don't have to worry about them jumping out of their windows that quickly. _What? Where the hell did that thought come from? There is no _we, _jackass!

That thought made my mind spiral into others. _We_ would be really nice though. Having a house for _us _would be amazing. The four of us being a _family _would be incredible.

"Earth to Edward… Are we going to sit here all day or are we going bowling?" Bella asked. She was sitting in the passenger seat buckled in already.

I stared at her while I brought myself out of my daydream. She looked at me expectantly since I had not responded to her question.

That was exactly what they were, daydreams. _Bella and I are just friends…That's it!_

"Shit, I mean shoot. Yeah, let's go bowling. Sorry I was just, umm, thinking," I finally replied, then backed out of her driveway.

She gave me a confused look, silently questioning my odd behavior. I did not want her to worry or make her feel uncomfortable before we started our trip, so I looked over and gave her my best smile.

"Hey, Bizzy, ready to get your butt kicked at bowling?" I challenged her.

"Pshhh, I don't think so, Cullen. I'm feeling pretty lucky today; I think you're going down," she answered with confidence.

_Fuck. She's feeling lucky. I could help her out with that for sure. Oh shit! Where was my mind today? Stop it Edward, you're going to fuck up if you don't stop with this shit._

"I say we make a little bet then since you seem to believe Lady Luck is on your side." I smirked at her while I tried to think of how I could get it to work in my favor.

"Oh you're on, big boy. What's the bet?" She asked. "I want to win something good."

_Big boy? I need to get my mind out of the gutter._

"Daddy, can you please turn on the DVD player? You guys are too loud," my daughter scolded me.

I hit a couple buttons to turn on the DVD player and got the volume under control. The girls seemed to be engrossed in the movie that was playing and I went back to my conversation with Bella.

"Hmmm let me see. If I win, which I'm going to, I get to take you out for dinner," I said as I kept my eyes on the road, too afraid to see what her reaction would be.

"Keep dreaming Edward, I'm going to win, and when I do, I think I want a pedicure," she shot back at me.

"Okay, I can do that. Makenna always said I knew how to color between the lines very well when I painted her toenails. I guess I could be _forced_ to give you a pedicure."

"As much as I would love to see your toenail painting skills, Edward, I want a gift certificate to a salon. I'm looking forward to having a professional soak, scrub and to beautify my feet while I sit back and relax in their massaging chair."

"I wouldn't get your hopes up too much. You haven't had the pleasure to see my improved bowling skills yet." I was egging her on now. I hadn't bowled in years but knew I needed to keep that front up and hoped it would frazzle her.

I wanted to win that bet. I needed to have a dinner with her on happier terms than the last meal we had shared at the pizza place. More importantly, I wanted to spend some one on one time with her.

It did not take us long to drive to the bowling alley. We arrived before Moonlight Bowling began and the girls both refused to bowl until the lights were turned off. I gave them some quarters to play in the arcade while Bella and I sat on a bench outside to wait for our lane to be ready.

"Thanks for inviting us tonight, Edward," Bella said shyly.

"You're welcome. Makenna has been begging to play with MC again." She nodded her head understanding the girls' new found friendship. "And I wanted to see you." I added and moved my hand to pat her thigh.

Her head slowly turned to look at me with a grin plastered on her face and her cheeks tinted a slight shade of pink.

She looked beautiful.

We made small talk and watched the girls play air hockey until our attention was distracted by the loud speaker. _Cullen, party of four, your lane is now ready._

Cullen, party of four sounded amazing coming from someone else's mouth. It would only be better if the meaning behind it was _family of four_.

I knew it was dangerous to allow my mind to wander to those kinds of thoughts. We were learning to be friends again, and how to be comfortable with one another. If I never got the chance to be more than that, I knew it would hurt but it was a consequence I would have to live with.

In the short amount of time that I'd been around or talked to Bella since my return, I knew our spark was still there; it was undeniable. When I was in her presence, it was as if we were magnets. With every move she made my body naturally adjusted its position to match hers. If I touched her, I felt a warmth radiating throughout my body. It was almost too much to take in, yet without it, my body felt too cold. Hearing her voice wasn't any easier. It called to me; it was the sweetest lullaby as it sang to my heart and soul. Anything to do with Bella put me at peace and always had made me feel complete.

I would never ask her to attempt a relationship with me again unless she made it clear she was interested. But I could no longer lie to myself about the feelings I harbored for her. I wanted to be more than just Bella's friend, I had always wanted her.

There was one huge question lingering over me, like Linus and his rain cloud, do I dare to dream that she could ever feel that way too after everything we had been through?

I guess it was something only time could answer for me. Until then, I would have to let Bella lead us and be grateful she was in my life again.

Moonlight Bowling turned out to be more fun than I expected. The girls would run up to the lane and chuck the ball as hard as they could, not understanding the concept was to take out the colored pins to get extra points.

I was a man on a mission and therefore my tactics were quite different. Each time it was my turn, I approached the lane with determination. I shuffled my feet to line myself up in the perfect position to take out whatever colored pin was in the rack. I would stay put for a couple seconds, visualizing the ball hitting the pins before I would take a step to release it. My strategy worked well for me until Bella caught on to what I was doing and saw how my score started to jump ahead of hers.

"Are you going to throw the ball Edward, or are you going to continue to stand there like you're a model for some bowling magazine? You've got a pretty face, but with a score of seventy-two, they may not believe you're a pro-bowler, babe."

"My daddy is a doctor, not a model, Bella," Makenna said sweetly causing me to laugh.

"I _am_ a doctor, baby, but don't you think your old man has a pretty face too?" I batted my eyelashes at her and she giggled at my response.

I looked over at Bella and narrowed my eyes at her before I spoke. "Your little distractions won't work, Isabella."

I turned around to continue my routine but I was pretty sure I'd heard Bella say, _that's because I can't distract you properly._

A huge grin appeared on my face, Bella was feeling it too. Maybe I wasn't crazy to dream after all.

Lady Luck was actually rooting for me instead of her that day. I managed to keep my score up, which caused her to become desperate. She brought the girls in on the fun and the three of them were teaming up against me.

I had a feeling I would have to get used to being the odd man out. Makenna was so enamored with Bella that I'd have to work on gaining MC's loyalty for all my causes in the future.

She promised the girls a trip to the movies should she win. When I protested it wasn't fair to pay for allies and turn it into three against one, she said it sucks for me and that girl power was strong and unbreakable.

Her score started to improve with the girls' encouragement. I needed to step up my game again and distract her quickly.

She picked up her pink ball and waited for the person on the lane next to us to go and I slowly stood up from where I sat with the girls. I didn't want to make a hasty move and get caught misbehaving by the principal.

Bella stepped up to the approach and went to position her ball in front of her. I waited until I saw her start to take her first step and darted up to stand in front of her blocking the path.

"What the heck do you think you're doing, Edward?" She asked with annoyance laced in her voice.

I ducked my head to whisper in her ear.

"You know you'd rather have dinner with me than win the bet, Bella." I purred in her ear.

I could see her body shiver a little so I straightened up and flashed a crooked smile at her.

"Step aside, Edward. Your charm isn't going to get you anywhere tonight."

"Good to know you still think I'm charming." I winked at her and walked back to my seat.

We finished our second game and somehow Bella managed to beat me, which tied us at one win each. She used my own techniques against me, batted her eyes and softly touched my shoulders and thighs before each of my turns which took my head out of the game. She was a temptress.

Damn woman always knew how to get what she wanted by using what God gave her. I loved every second of her attention, though, and would never complain about it.

We agreed to play one more game to settle our bet, but the girls asked for a snack before we continued. Bella went to the snack bar that was close to where our lane was located and I stayed back with them.

"Are you having a good time, MC?" I asked. I wanted her to have fun, but no time like the present to gaining me a sidekick.

"I'm having so much fun, Edward. You and my mommy are so silly together," she responded and both girls started to giggle.

I looked over towards the snack bar to see if Bella needed help carrying our snacks, and was met with a sight I didn't expect to see.

She was in line with Masen. He had a smug look on his face as he leaned against the counter and I wanted to wipe it off of him.

Bella did not look as comfortable as he did; she was fidgeting with her hands and kept turning to look over at the snack bar attendant to see if our order was ready.

I told the girls to stay put so I could see them and explained I wanted to go help Bella.

As I walked up behind her and approached where they stood, I could hear them talking.

"_You really seem like a great guy, Masen, but I'm sorry, I'm not looking to date right now," she said sternly._

She didn't want to date? Was that a general statement? Did she just say that to get him to leave her alone?

"_Come on beautiful, Belllllaaa. Just one little date, everyone needs to eat and let loose sometimes. I promise you'll enjoy yourself and if you're not, then I promise to take you home. Just please give me a chance." He smiled at her._

That was my cue to step in. I would not let this guy convince Bella to go on a date with him when she was here with me.

I walked up behind her and put my arm around her waist.

"Hey, what's up, Masen? It's good to see you again." I shook his hand.

"Um… hey, Edward, what are you doing here, man?" He asked.

His eyes darted down to see my arm wrapped around Bella and he stood up and crossed his arms.

"I'm here with Bella and our daughters." I nodded back to our lane. "We're here on a _family_ _date," _I proudly stated.

He looked back and forth between us without saying a word. I did not think he expected her to go along with me after her statement about not wanting to date.

"I've been meaning to come into the gym and start a workout routine, but haven't found the time yet." I leaned my head towards Bella, as if she was the reason why I hadn't been in. "But I'll be sure to stop in there soon."

Bella stepped in to clear the palpable tension surrounding us.

"It was good to see you again, Masen. Our food is ready and the girls are waiting," she said.

"Yeah, it was good to see you, too. Take care, Bella. See you at the gym, Edward," he replied and walked away.

Bella gave me a dirty look before grabbing the tray of food.

"What's that look for, Bella? From what I heard it didn't sound like the guy could take a hint. I was just helping you out." I shrugged.

Her irritation dissolved instantly.

"I'm a big girl, Edward, and I could have handled it. You didn't need to go caveman on me."

"I'm sure you could have but there was no need, thanks to me."

She rolled her eyes and walked back to the girls.

We ate our food while we shared some laughs. It felt natural with all of us talking over each other as we each tried to get a word in. Bella reminded me it was do or die time.

Our light flirting continued throughout the game but this time it felt more friendly. We sat next to each other when it wasn't our turn. My arm would naturally find its way over her seat and her body turned slightly to lean on me.

We watched our girls as they interacted and enjoyed being together.

When the older couple from the lane next to us left, the woman commented on how cute our family was. Bella and I shared a smile and thanked her.

My day got even better thirty minutes later when I scored the winning strike. I did a happy dance in the middle of the lane that caused not only Makenna and MC to laugh, but a group of women with their children on the lanes to the left of us to do the same. Bella gave them all dirty looks which made me become laugh hysterically.

_No worries, Bella. I'm all yours sweetheart, all you have to do is say the word._

We placed the bowling balls back on the shelves and put our shoes back on. I walked over to Bella and put my arm around her neck. I leaned my head closer to hers and squeezed her a little.

"I'll give you the details for our dinner date soon, but I think I would like a drink to celebrate my great victory right now."

"Edward, I think Child Protective Services would be after both of us if we took the girls into a bar."

"I guess we better go to Starbucks for some hot chocolate then." I smiled at her and held the girls' hands then walked out to our car.

**~~ E & B ~~**

_**Bella**_

Just as I had hoped, Edward beat me at bowling. He kept bragging about his improved bowling skills, but the more I studied him, the more realized he was bullshitting me.

The man had no skills, so I took it easy on him. Instead of going for strikes or hitting the colored pins for extra points, I got spares or sometimes even gutter balls to help keep our score close. It was hard to not do my best, but I wanted to see what Edward would plan for our date. I'd rather have a date with him than a pedicure any day.

He never caught on to my act, and I was very pleased with myself; he wasn't the only one with skills.

I bit my tongue on our drive to Starbucks as he puffed out his chest and declared himself the winner again. The girls thought he was funny, but I thought he was cute even if he was misguided. Poor boy didn't realize how close I was to teaching him a lesson about being cocky and arrogant. I hoped to school him in the near future.

"So, you're telling me, you don't like hot chocolate, but you love chocolate milk?" I asked Makenna.

She nodded her head.

"But isn't it the same thing?"

"No, I don't like whipped cream and hot chocolate can be chunky sometimes."

"Huh, I guess I've never paid attention to it. What's your favorite drink at Starbucks? The Strawberries & Creme?"

"Oh no, I don't like strawberries, Bella." She scrunched up her nose in disgust. "My mom and dad just buy me chocolate milk."

I shook my head. The past five minutes I had learned how picky of an eater, and apparently drinker, Makenna was.

"Do you try new foods every day just to see if you'll like them?"

"Nope."

"Why not?"

She answered with no hesitation. "'Cause I already know I don't like 'em."

I was shocked that Edward did not encourage her to try new foods. Not only was he not a picky eater, but he was a doctor, and wasn't it his job to counsel people about having a balanced diet?

"How do you know if you haven't tried them yet?" I questioned her teasingly.

"I just do… and sometimes they smell bad."

"Broccoli stinks." MC added her words of wisdom.

"But it tastes good and it's healthy for you," I said.

They looked at each other and Makenna shrugged her shoulders. We'd just have to agree to disagree. Plus moms had ways to sneak vegetables into meals without their kids knowing. I would have to work some of my magic on Makenna when I got the chance.

At that point, Edward was returning from the bathroom. We smiled at each other as he walked to our table and sat between the girls.

"Alright, you ladies ready to head back to the condo to go swimming?" He asked the two very excited little girls. Did he expect them to say 'No'? It wouldn't happen.

"What kind of car is this? I meant to ask you last time." I asked as he put his seatbelt on.

"QX56"

"Um, I don't speak _boy_." It reminded me of C3PO or R2D2. Was Master Yoda training Jedi's in the nearest galaxy?

"It's an Infiniti. She's a beauty, huh?"

"She is. Can I turn the seat warmers on, please? That's my favorite part." I pushed the button he had pointed out to me two weeks earlier.

I turned around in my seat to look at our daughters.

"Would the princesses like to listen to the Disney station?" The girls were so excited they didn't even hear my question while they talked about all the swimming pool games they wanted to play. Thank goodness that Makenna had a swimsuit MC could wear and we wouldn't have to drive home to get one.

"How far away do you live from here?"

Edward looked at me for a split second and smirked. "Why Isabella, are you trying to get me to drive faster so you can have your wicked way with me? I'm shocked." He laughed at his own joke.

"What would you do if I was?" I teased back. I think I won that battle because his jaw dropped and he was at a loss for words. He didn't know that I had dreamed about having my wicked way with him many times over the past few weeks.

Honestly, I didn't know how long I could sit tight and just to be his friend. My physical attraction to him had not decreased at all over the years we were apart.

There were days that I felt I had forgiven him too quickly for leaving me like he did. He left me at the worst possible time in my life. A friend would never leave during a crisis. However, a friend should always put the other's needs first and that was what Edward had tried to do. He thought I wanted to fix my marriage and wanted to give me what I needed at the time. Should he have asked me? Yes. We would have had a different history together if he had. Makenna and MC wouldn't exist and I'd rather spend an eternity without Edward by my side, than wish for a single day without them in my life.

I had a feeling he had been holding back in advancing our relationship by waiting for me to give him a sign. I didn't know how much longer I could last, but I would have to let him know my decision.

I would choose Edward.

It wasn't a hard choice.

Jake had been gone for five years. We had a rocky start, it was true, but in the end we became rock solid. It wasn't easy, and definitely not perfect, but we were happy.

Dating Edward again seemed like the right choice. I craved him and I didn't think it was just mentally or emotionally. I knew we couldn't go back in time and change our history, nor did I want to.

If Edward had not broken up with me before he went off to college, I wouldn't have met Jake; I wouldn't be MC's mother. So many things tore us apart time and time again, but here we were. Rotten timing, poor decisions, misunderstandings and even my father's murder were factors in our separations. We had to make a choice and decide if it was worth letting the past go and move forward together as a couple.

We also had to consider our daughters in that decision. I knew how MC felt about Makenna. She loved her like a sister, or her BFF as she called her. I could also tell that she was developing quite the little crush on Edward, too. MC was so loving and had a good heart, but would be devastated to lose both Edward and Makenna if we didn't work out.

A few weeks back I didn't believe in love at first sight. The all encompassing love for another human being that was sparked from the moment their paths crossed. I was wrong; I just hadn't met Makenna Esme Cullen yet. If I began a relationship with Edward, would I be able to move forward without them with my heart intact?

No I wouldn't.

I just had to find a way to tell him how I felt and what my fears were. If we couldn't communicate any better at our current age than we had in our mid-twenties, we would be doomed. I had to have faith. What did I tell him that night in the park? I needed to believe that something extraordinary was possible. I had to take ownership of both the extraordinary and not so perfect parts of our lives together just as much as Edward did. We were worth the effort.

"Bella and MC, I'd like you to meet Marcus. Marcus this is my Bella and her daughter-"

"MC Black. She's my best friend." Makenna smiled at Marcus and stood proudly next to her.

"It's a pleasure to meet you both," Marcus, the doorman in his building said. "I can understand now why Mr. Edward is so smitten." He grinned.

"I told you I was spending the day with the most beautiful ladies. I was right, huh?" Edward stepped closer to me, we were almost touching and I could feel his body heat on my skin.

"You better keep an eye them or I might just keep them for myself," he joked. I thought it was funny but it appeared Edward failed to find the humor in it.

His hand found my lower back and began lightly tracing circles. I never wanted him to stop.

"Well, we better get going. We have two feisty little girls here who are begging to go swimming." He reached down to grab both of their hands as if he had been doing it for years. "When they stop by in the future, please just let them come up to my place. They're always welcome."

I met his eyes and we shared a smile, a silent promise passed between us.

"No problem, I'll add them to your list. Have fun everyone, especially you, mia Bella." Marcus added with a smile.

His condo was painted a beige color and had furniture that seemed to belong to someone else. The Edward I remembered enjoyed being comfortable and had recliners and microfiber couches. He didn't like arm chairs or leather. It didn't feel like a place he would live as it was too formal for him.

When I asked him about it, he told me he didn't have much time to find a place which meant he needed to find a furnished condo. He found a condo that had amenities including an indoor pool, gym, restaurant and a bar, and a great playground for Makenna.

He went on to explain his mom had added many of the personal touches found throughout the space. Among them were beautiful pictures of Makenna. She was an adorable baby and even at a young age, it was evident that she looked like her father. I laughed at a picture of three year old Makenna who from the looks of it, she was only wearing a pair of white panties, but with a plastic grocery store bag as an outfit. Her legs went through the bottom of the bag and her arms went through the handles. It looked like she had on plastic overalls. Jessica probably took the picture because I could see a younger looking Edward smiling down at her in the background.

"Penny for your thoughts," Edward whispered into my hair.

I turned to find him looking down at me with a passion in his eyes that I hadn't seen in years. In that very moment, I knew the decision to tell him how I felt was the right one. I could see in his eyes the same emotions that lived in mine. I would have to let him know soon.

"I was looking at your pictures and thought they were cute. Then I saw your diploma for medical school and felt like a failure. Back when we were in high school, I would never have believed that I would miss your graduation. So many things have changed between us, Edward. I guess I just feel guilty for not being there, ya know?" I faked a smile and then bit my lip waiting for his answer.

He sighed.

"I remember thinking the same things about you, Bella. I wished there was a way that we could go back in time and be better friends for each other. But you know what, honey, we can't. We can't go back, but maybe the next best thing is sharing pictures and stories from our pasts, and being there for all the important days in the future. There's no going back, only forward, Bizzy."

"I agree, Edward. I'm looking forward to hearing all of your stories, too."

He wrapped his arms around me and I held him tightly. My head rested over his heart and the beating rhythm sounded like music to my ears.

"Momma, is this swimsuit okay to wear? Makenna likes it." MC interrupted my moment of peace with Edward.

She looked between us and smiled as she tugged on the bottom of the swimsuit uncomfortably.

Edward answered her before I could. "Sweetie, you look great. Why don't you go ask Kenni to grab some towels and we'll all head down, all right?"

MC turned on her heels and started to walk away, yelling, "Makenna are you ready yet? Where are the towels?"

"I'm coming!" Makenna hollered back.

"Bella are you ready too?"

"I sure am. Thanks again for inviting us. We've had a great day hanging out with you guys." I paused. "So when do I get to pick where you're taking me for dinner?"

"Oh no, I won using my superior skills, so I get to pick. You'll know when I have it all planned, so don't try to figure it out, got it?" Edward laughed and grabbed my hand, called for the girls and we left.

The ride in the elevator was quiet between us, but the girls never stopped bouncing and talking. I could see our reflection in the shiny elevator door and my heart stuttered when I realized that Edward's attention was focused solely on me.

Stepping into the pool area, my senses were overwhelmed by the bright lights and the smell of chlorine. Once my eyes adjusted, I followed them to the far side of the area and found lounge chairs for the four of us. The girls couldn't be bothered to sit down and immediately jumped into the heated pool.

There was a waterfall near where we sat and I enjoyed the feeling of tranquility that surrounded us. Edward and I chatted carelessly and watched our girls play.

"Marco," Makenna called out.

"Polo," was MC's response.

We had watched them play that game for the past twenty minutes. They were having fun until I tried to explain to them who Marco Polo was in our world's history and MC rolled her eyes and said, "She always does that. You'll get used to it."

Edward laughed at her outburst before I gave him a dirty look. Finding ways to teach children was my job, it didn't stop at the door of Finn Hill Middle School on Fridays.

I rolled up the pant legs of my jeans to be a little more comfortable in the warmer room, and relaxed into the lounge chair, with Edward sitting to my left watching the girls play.

Our conversation was never stagnant and we shared more of our pasts in a light hearted way. Every second I became more solidified and determined to make some type of connection with him.

If only I had enough courage to make my move, since I didn't believe he would any time soon.

I was stuck to this chair as if someone had taken glue and made it impossible for me to get up.

_I can do this._

It was just Edward and I had known him for over fifteen years. Why couldn't I just tell him?

_Chicken shit._

"Marco." Makenna called and brought me out of my thoughts.

"Polo." MC answered as she went under the water and swam away. Makenna almost caught her, causing me to laugh at how much fun they were having.

"Would you like a drink?" Edward asked.

"Sure," I whispered.

"You okay?" He asked with concern.

"Yeah, just being a big dummy," I mumbled.

"What's wrong?" He looked sad while he waited for my answer.

I looked up at him and gave him a tight smile. "Nothing." He held my gaze for a minute before he got up off of his chair.

"I'll be back in a minute. I just need to run upstairs and grab a few drinks from my place. Will you keep an eye on Makenna for me?"

I rolled my eyes at his question and gave him a real smile.

"Of course, that's what _friends_ are for," I said sarcastically.

Edward was gone for ten minutes, and in that time, I debated how I should approach him with my news.

I wanted to try a relationship again. I hoped we worked out and stayed together for a long time, if not forever. I couldn't control our fate in that moment anymore than I could we were we younger. He was… no, _we_ were worth the risk.

"Here you go." He smiled at me, and then took a step towards the chair he previously occupied.

My heart thumped in my chest from being startled or it could have been from what I was about to do. I was nervous yet excited, ready to get the show on the road.

"Thanks, babe."

He noticed my choice of words but held back his response as his mouth opened and closed.

The girls continued to swim, oblivious to the change their young lives were about to take.

Edward settled down onto the lounge chair next to me with one leg resting on each side, with his feet on the floor, and took a drink of his water. His attention was on the girls.

It was now or never.

I took a drink of my water and twisted the cap back on, while moving to sit up on my chair. I looked up at him and smiled.

Standing and stretching to put on a good show to catch his attention, my shirt rose up on my stomach and showed off a little bit of my skin. I enjoyed having his eyes on me. I threw my drink onto MC's towel that was on the floor.

Our eyes locked and I smirked. I moved to sit on his chair with him, never breaking eye contact. His green eyes were curious as to my movements.

I scooted up to sit in between Edward's legs and leaned back to rest with my back to his chest. He stiffened up and I turned my head and kissed his cheek, feeling his slight stubble on my lips.

In a move I had not anticipated, he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me closer to him.

"Bella, what's this all about?" His voice both desperate and hopeful.

Poor boy didn't have a clue. Guess I should help him along.

"Everything's as it should be now."

I reached and held his hands then felt a peace settle in my mind.

_This was right._

**A/N: Who has a son or daughter who's a picky eater like Makenna? True story, ladysharkey1 has a daughter worse than Makenna. Her daughter may or may not have inspired Makenna's eating habits, even the Starbucks story. If you have any tips on how to get a fourteen year old to stop eating like a four year old, let us know. LOL**

**So, are they a couple now? Edward would be happy with that. Are you ready to get to the "Beginnings" part of our story? We sure as hell are. *Gets out a crystal ball* We see nothing but good times ahead. **

**Thanks for reading. If you have the time, please review and we'll send you a teaser of the next chapter. Also, a big thank you to everyone who has rec'd, fav'd or alerted our story...**


	10. Listen to Your Heart

**Thank you to our beta LZTZ, and prereader tanglingshadows, for all of their help and support.**

**Disclaimer: We don't own Twilight, but it owns us.**

**Chapter 10 – Listen to Your Heart**

_**Bella**_

The girls had begged us to let them have a sleepover that night after spending the day together. Because I had neglected doing my housework during the past week, I volunteered to keep Makenna and knew I could get some light cleaning and laundry finished while they played. Needless to say, they were excited about spending more time together.

Since I already had plans to go to breakfast the following morning with Alice, Edward would arrive at my house at eight to watch the girls. I asked him if he needed help planning the day, he laughed and shook his head.

"Bizz, one half of the dynamic duo is my own daughter. I think I know how to keep a couple of girls occupied. Just call me when you're ready for me to bring MC home, but don't rush because I honestly enjoy having her around."

After each of us hugged Edward goodbye, and I got a kiss on my cheek, I stopped to pick up a few snacks and a movie. My favorite part of our night had to be when I got to tuck both girls into bed together as it felt right having Makenna with us. Kissing them on the forehead, I turned off the light and went to my room.

With my blankets pulled up to my chin, I tried to settle my mind but thought about the time I had spent with Edward throughout day. From bowling, to losing our bet, yet still coming away a winner. The fun times the girls had swimming and especially lying on the lounge chair with Edward's arms around my waist, I couldn't have asked for a better day. I drifted off into a peaceful sleep with promises of dreams coming true.

While I was drinking my second coffee, standing against the counter, Alice arrived the next morning and let herself in.

"Allie, shh, the girls are still asleep. They were up late and I don't want them grouchy for Edward."

"I'm sorry, Bella, I'm just so excited that Makenna is here. Can I just peek in on them? You've been talking about her for weeks and I want to see if she's as pretty as you said." She laughed and we quietly walked down the hallway to MC's bedroom.

Looking upon them I couldn't take my eyes away. Even in their sleep they were connected. Makenna had her left leg thrown over the top of MC's legs, who had her hand on Makenna's forearm.

I smiled at them.

"She's beautiful and, oh my God, she looks just like him, Bella. It's an amazing sight," Alice whispered and I grabbed her wrist and pulled her out into the hallway.

"I know, Allie. I'm becoming so attached to her and can't believe how much they've bonded. There are moments that I get so wrapped up in our time together that I wish I could keep her." I laughed. "She's just as sweet as she is pretty."

I heard a light knocking on the front door. "Edward's here," Alice said.

"I'll be right back."

I forced myself to walk to the door as the excitement that ran through my body pulled my feet forward.

Opening my door, I found Edward standing there with his coffee in hand, wearing jeans, his old UW hoodie and a big smile. He stepped forward and brought me into a hug.

"Good morning, sweetheart," he spoke softly into my ear. I felt him kiss my hair. "How were the girls? Was Makenna good for you?" Even when he waited for my answer, he still held me tight.

I held on tighter. "They were little angels and had a lot of fun. I let them stay up a little later than I normally would and they're still asleep. How was your night?" I removed my arms from around him and slowly stepped back to look up into his green eyes.

I felt his fingers lightly travel down my arm, barely feeling the movement, until he intertwined his fingers with mine.

"I was lonely and missed my girls." He added with a mischievous grin that caused my heart to flutter, and a cheesy smile to appear on my face.

"Hi, Edward," Alice interrupted our quiet moment.

Giving my hand one last squeeze, Edward let go and turned to face Alice. "Hey Allie, how are you?"

"I'm good. Thanks for watching MC while I take Bella out to breakfast."

"Trust me, it's my honor and I love having her with me. My daughter is a different girl when MC's around. It's wonderful to watch them together," Edward said and looked towards me. Of course my cheesy grin reappeared.

"That's great. I'm glad they have each other." Turning to me, she added, "You ready to go?"

"I am." I answered her.

Turning back to Edward I asked, "Since they're not awake, would you mind just hanging out here for a while and locking up when you leave? I'll call you when I'm ready."

"No problem. Go out and have fun and don't worry about a thing. I have big plans for them."

"Okay then, have fun and I'll call you later. See ya." I stepped up and kissed his cheek.

I grabbed my jacket on the way to the door and turned to see Edward sitting on my couch. He looked up and winked at me, I smiled and we left.

Putting on my seatbelt, I turned to Alice and asked where we were headed.

"I know I said we were going to a restaurant, but I packed a picnic basket and thought we could head down to Waterfront Park. Is that ok with you?" She asked.

"Absolutely. That sounds great."

"Let me grab it from my car." Alice set her purse down and walked to her car, grabbed the basket of food and placed it on my backseat.

As I drove, she told me a story about her coming home from the office yesterday and walking in on the cutest sight. Jasper had been playing Civil War with Ben and Liam. Ben was wearing a white pasta colander on his head as a helmet and used a rolling pin as his gun. Liam had a bowl and a wooden spoon.

"I'll tell you what, Bella, Jasper was running around and laughing just as much as the boys were," Alice said with labored breaths from laughing.

I laughed so hard at the scene she described that I had to wipe tears from my eyes.

"I would have loved to see that. So how's the bar doing, Allie? Is Jasper having any problems?" I asked curiously.

"He's doing fine. I miss having him around at night, but I'm just so glad he's happy." Alice had a genuine smile on her face. Her love and dedication for her husband radiated from her. "I'm so proud of him."

The Hangover had been open for over a month. Jasper had to hire a part-time bartender to keep up with the number of customers they served. Rose was currently interviewing to fill two waitressing positions that were needed on the weekends.

"I'm proud of him too. He's such a great guy."

"You know who else I think is a great guy, Bella?" She asked with a whimsical voice.

"Who?" I knew who she wanted to talk about.

"Edward, that's who. You guys were in your own little bubble when I walked into the room. What's going on between the two of you? Last I heard, you both decided to be friends again. _Friends_ don't look at each other that way." I looked in my mirror as I changed lanes because I needed to turn into the entrance for the park. "I mean, you know how I feel and I just want you to be happy."

"I know, Allie, I do, but it just happened last night so it's still all new for us. Plus, we have MC and Makenna to consider." I pulled into a parking spot and turned to her. "You grab the picnic basket and I'll bring a couple of blankets that I keep in the back. It's still a little cool out this morning."

As I was closing the trunk, I received a text. I put on my jacket and excitedly pulled my phone from my pocket. A goofy grin appeared on my face when I saw who it was from.

_girls r awake n ready 2 go ~ Dr. E. Cullen_

I smiled as a read his text and realized he texts like my students, but used his professional name as his signature. His personality was as fun and playful as I had remembered.

"What has you smiling? Or should I say _who_ has you smiling?" Alice commented.

"I just got a text that the girls are ready to go."

"Uh huh, that's the only thing making you smile?" She teased me. Apparently, I was an open book when it came to my best friend and I loved her even more for that.

"No." I giggled. "Let me just reply back and I'll be all yours, okay?"

**We went to the park instead of the cafe. I'll see you soon. Have fun!**

I received an instant reply.

_k we will. u 2 ~ Dr. E. Cullen_

I put my phone back into my pocket and walked with Alice to find a picnic table near the water. Although it was a little chilly, the sun was attempting to shine through the clouds, which was a rare occasion in Seattle that time of year. We settled in and Alice started pulling out containers of fruit, muffins, juice and coffee; all my favorites. I grabbed the bag that held the plates, cups and utensils. I had to place the napkins underneath the plates to keep the wind from blowing them away.

The sound of the waves crashing against the shore was calming. Birds flew over our heads and several boats were sailing in the distance, pushed along by the breeze.

"Allie, the coffee is great, but the chocolate chip muffins are divine! Everything is so delicious. Thank you for going through all of this trouble, I'm really enjoying myself. I could have baked something if you told me you were planning this."

"I know, but it was my surprise. You've been really busy lately with work and MC, plus trying to reconnect with Edward, so I just wanted to do something nice for you. I'm glad I could make you happy."

"You do. I'm so lucky to have you for my best friend and I would do anything for you too." I set my muffin down on my plate and walked around the table to hug her.

"Okay, enough of the deep stuff, tell me what happened last night. Who made the first move?" Alice clapped once with enthusiasm, causing me to laugh as I moved back to my seat opposite her.

"Well, yours truly decided I had enough of waiting for Edward to make his move, so while the girls were swimming, I pulled off the old stretch and yawn technique to get his attention. Then I went and sat on the lounge chair with him and rested against his chest. He immediately pulled me closer to him and wrapped his arms around my waist. We stayed like that until the girls were finished swimming." I smiled, proud of myself for taking the first initiative.

"This was after bowling, where we made a bet that if he won he got to take me on a dinner date and if I won, he had to pay for my pedicure. A win-win for me."

"Who won the game?" Alice asked, laughing out loud.

"Let's just say I _let_ him win." Alice laughed even louder. "Seriously, he kept talking about his improved bowling skills and how I was no match for him, but honestly, I had to throw some gutter balls to keep our scores close."

"Oh my God, that's so funny! I could imagine Jasper doing the same thing. Boys will be boys, I suppose." She giggled.

The wind picked up and blew the napkins around the top of the table, and a few scattered onto the ground near us. Alice grabbed what she could and I ran to gather the escapees and threw them into a nearby trashcan.

"Oh shit, I totally forgot. Guess who I ran into at the snack bar?" I asked loudly.

"Who?"

"You remember Masen from New Year's Eve? The guy who works with Emmett and the one I danced with."

"And kissed!" Alice shook her head in disbelief.

"Yeah. And guess what else? Oh I'll just tell you. He asked me out to dinner… I said no of course, but as he was asking a second time, Edward came up behind me all jealous and protective with his hand on my lower back. He even pretended that he hadn't been to the gym because he's been spending _all_ his time with us."

"What did Masen do?" She asked curiously through her heavy breaths, hysterically laughing.

"What could he do? He wished us both a good day, grabbed his beer and went to rejoin the group of people he was bowling with."

"So do you think you would've hooked up with Masen if Edward wouldn't have returned to Seattle?" Alice questioned, but I could not understand why she would ask that.

"Well, maybe. He's really hot, and it may have been fun while it lasted. Why did you ask that, Allie? It seems totally random."

I look around us and noticed a couple holding hands and the guy was walking his dog. I pulled my phone from my pocket and realized we had been talking for over two hours already. Time really does fly when you're having fun.

"I just wanted to hear your answer and to see how attached you are to Edward already. Here's my two cents. You ready for it?"

I nodded my head.

"You are attracted to Masen, but it would've never worked out. Your heart has belonged to Edward for more years than even you can remember. You don't _have to_ fall in love with him because you _have been_ in love with him for years, and from what I could tell this morning, the feeling is mutual."

"You think so?" I whispered, hoping she was right.

"I know so. There can never be anyone else for you because it's him…. It's always been him and that's okay. You're both in better places in your lives, both personally and professionally, and in all honesty, absence really does make the heart grow fonder. I'm so excited for you guys."

"Thanks Allie." I moved around the table to give her another hug. I had the best friend in the world.

"Don't start thanking me yet, babe, there's one more thing. I can't in good conscience call myself your best friend if I don't say this now. You and Edward had a serious lack of communication that last time you were together and that cannot happen this time. You need to open yourself up and show him the insecurities that you have about being abandoned by him again. You need to set some boundaries between the two of you until you can truly trust and believe that he will not leave. If you can't do that, then you need to let him go.

"MC hasn't stopped talking about Makenna and Edward for weeks, and neither of those girls could handle being pulled away from the other. I can't even imagine how strongly they will be bonded within a few months time. You have always put her first, and I have every confidence that you will always have her best interest at heart, but in the case of Edward Cullen, you jump first and think second. This time you guys need to plan ahead. I promise it'll make you stronger in the end."

"I totally agree with you there. I might have a great education, but that boy makes me dumb. We've talked several times since I told you about our breakdown on the porch at Esme's house. We know where we went wrong and all we can do is put the other's needs first and be honest and try to have fun again. If it's meant to be, then it'll happen."

I continued in a more serious tone, "Allie, in the weeks since New Year's Eve, I've had a wide range of emotions from excitement to anger and everything else in between, but what stood out to me the most was forgiveness. Somewhere in the years since Edward left, I had forgiven him. I don't know when or how or why, but none of that matters. Forgiving him is effortless because he didn't leave me to hurt or to cause me any pain and suffering. He walked away that day because he had tried to sacrifice his own desire for happiness to provide me with what he thought I wanted. Sure, he was wrong, but the road to redemption was paved with good intentions."

He earned my forgiveness, and I knew when I sat next to him that day on the porch as we cried together, that we could move forward with our lives. We had no other choice, as fate was a fickle friend, and would never take no as an answer.

"I have a great feeling about you guys this time. I just know that the third time is the charm."

I kissed her on her cheek in my excitement.

"So let's get everything packed up and get home. I have a husband who I plan on ravishing during naptime and you have a boyfriend to catch!"

"Let's do it!"

It took us around ten minutes to clean up and walk back to the car. I was excited to see Edward and the girls again. I could not wait to talk to him about us becoming an official couple so I sent him a quick text.

**I need to talk to you. **

**~~ E & B ~~**

_**Edward**_

I walked around Bella's living room sipping my coffee as I waited for the girls to wake up. I loved being in her house, surrounded by the items that held some importance to her. From the looks of it, her style had not changed much over the years but the decorations were more feminine and no longer had a man's touch.

From what I could tell, she was the same Bella that loved to read books based off the stacks that were scattered around the room. What I was surprised to see was that she had bookshelves attached to the wall packed full of music CDs. Her collection was pretty impressive, everything from classical, rock, jazz and some older Seattle grunge bands. I wondered when she became so interested in music.

After thumbing through her collection, I sat back down on the couch not wanting to be too nosey. I couldn't believe how much had changed in a twenty-four hour time period. When I woke up yesterday, my hopes were simple; a fun day with the girls and a chance to be around Bella. Who would have thought that the world would shift and start to make my life right again? Sure in hell not me.

For as long as I lived, I would never forget the exact moment that change took place. It was the minute Bella told me everything was as it should be when she held my hand. I responded with the only answer that was fitting, _I couldn't agree with you more. _The simple words exchanged said it all. _We _were meant to be and we both knew it was time to stop fighting fate.

Even if it was only for the night, it was hard to tell Bella and the girls goodbye. I didn't mind being by myself but I would have rather had the three of the most important women in my life close by during such a monumental realization.

It would have been nice to tuck the girls in bed, and then hold Bella by the fireplace. I would have loved to express how elated I was over everything that had happed recently. I wanted her to know how much I cared about her and MC and how I planned to do right by them both.

I may not have got the chance to do so, but I would be sure to speak with her about it soon. I wanted her to understand the depth of my feelings for them. I had loved Bella since I was sixteen and since MC was a part of her, it was natural that I loved her too. I knew the time wasn't right to declare it, but when it was, I would want MC to understand my feelings for her. Even after the short time I'd known her, there was no difference in my heart between Makenna and MC even after the short time I'd known her. She was made by Bella and Jake and couldn't be more perfect than if she was biologically mine.

I heard feet shuffling towards me as they made their way down the hall indicating the girls were up.

Makenna came into the room still looking sleepy and somewhat disoriented. When she saw me sitting on the couch, she smiled and made her way over to me.

"Morning, Kenni Bear. Did you sleep well?" I asked.

Before responding, she climbed up in my lap and snuggled close to my chest.

"I guess so, but MC kicks too much," she grumbled.

"I'm sorry, baby. It must've been a quite a battle then because you kick like crazy too." I chuckled and wrapped my arms around her.

I loved that no matter how old she was, she always liked to cuddle with me. When she was a baby, I would lie down on the couch with her sleeping on my chest spending hours reading my textbooks. I didn't have a lot of free time in those days, so it was a way for me to feel close to her. It was a bitch trying to highlight information and I couldn't write many notes, but she was worth it. It was our special time together.

"Daddy, can I ask you a question?"

"Of course, baby. You know you can always ask me anything," I responded, encouraging her to state what was on her mind.

"Is Bella your girlfriend, like Lauren was?" She asked tentatively.

I winced when Lauren's name was brought up. Thank God she never acted crazy in front of Makenna, but after she was out of the picture, I got the sense Makenna wasn't too fond of her. There were things she did and said after Lauren left that clued me in. _She's not coming back, right?_ And about a month later the very clear, _Daddy, I don't like her_ made me feel guilty for bringing her into our lives to begin with.

I pulled her face out of the crook of my neck so I could see her green eyes, wanting her to really listen to what I had to say.

"First of all, I promise you Bella is nothing like Lauren, sweetheart. But if you ever feel uncomfortable like you did with Lauren, you make sure to tell me, okay?"

"I know she doesn't act like her, Daddy. Are you guys gonna kiss and have sleepover's like you did with Lauren?" She scrunched up her nose as she spoke.

I held back a laugh at the look of disgust on her face as my mind raced to answer her correctly.

"Before I answer that let me ask _you_ something." She nodded her head so I continued, "How would you feel _if_ Bella was my girlfriend?" I anxiously questioned her. Her response would be a deal breaker for everything. I would have been devastated, but Makenna's feelings _always_ came first.

A bright smile broke out on her face to let me know her answer before she said it out loud.

"I would be _so _happy, Daddy. Bella is _so_ nice and _very_ pretty and that means MC and I can have sleepover's all the time," she excitedly said.

I pulled her in for another hug, grateful that she would be okay if Bella and I dated.

"Thank you so much, Kenni Bear. I'm happy you feel that way." I kissed her hair trying to express my love and gratitude over her statement.

"Want to hear a secret?" She whispered.

"Sure." I responded thinking it would be something random, but to my surprise, it wasn't.

"MC says Bella really likes you and she said her mom talked on the phone about you."

I hugged her tighter and laughed, my little wingman looked out for me once again.

MC made her way out to the living room shortly after that. I gave the girls some cereal then they got dressed for the day. It was not raining which was a shock for late January. The clouds blanketed the sky, but I saw glimpses of the sun, the air was crisp, but when you lived in Seattle you took the rare opportunity to get out of the house.

One of my colleagues, Eleazar Denali, told me about a park that he used to take his teenager daughters to when they were little. He said it had a gigantic castle play structure and was a superb place for a little princess to play. I thought it would be perfect for both of the princesses in my life, and when Bella asked me to watch MC while she went out with Alice, I knew exactly where I wanted to take them.

They tried to guess where we were going the entire drive. I learned that MC had a wild imagination because one of her guesses was that we were going to an indoor sky diving place. I laughed at her stating that her mom would kill me, but then promised to take her there when she was older.

We pulled into the parking lot and both girls gasped at how huge the wooden castle was. It had a spiral slide coming down from the top, with monkey bars and a rock climbing wall attached to it. The tower at the top had large windows that looked into the lush green trees surrounding it. The castle was surrounded by smaller play structures and an octagon shaped picnic tables. Dr. Denali was right, the place was amazing.

The girls wasted no time and jumped out of the car running straight toward the playground. I grabbed their jackets and followed behind to find an empty table.

The park wasn't very crowded, which surprised me. It was unique, and whoever designed it did an awesome job. I sat with my back towards the table and watched kids run by as they squealed with laugher, and while other parents sat around watching their children play.

The girls tried out everything a couple times before making their way back to the castle part of the structure.

"Edward, come play with us! " MC hollered at me as she ran towards the rock climbing wall with Makenna racing behind her.

_How could I not accept this invitation?_ I got up and followed them as they cheered about my willingness to play.

As we climbed the stairs to the top, Makenna stopped me with an excited look on her face.

"I know what we can do. We can play princesses! Daddy, you have to be the knight though." She explained.

I laughed at her excitement and agreed that was a good role for me. They decided I needed to go back outside and fight off the dragons before I could rescue them.

As I made my way down the stairs, I realized I was about to put on a show for everyone there but I didn't care. _I would be the best knight I could be!_

When I reached the bottom I looked up and saw the top of Makenna's head from one of the windows but MC was nowhere in sight.

I cleared my voice getting ready for the performance of my life.

"Milady, Makenna. I will fight for your honor and kill off the dragons to save you," I recited loudly, and grabbed my imaginary sword and waived it in the air.

I ran around the castle a couple times pretending to slash dragons, and gained a crowd of children that wanted to join in to be a warrior with me.

The other parents laughed and watched me make a fool out of myself. Every time I looked up and saw my daughter with a smile on her face, or heard her laughter, it was worth it.

My army and I fought our way up to the chambers of the castle and I explained our battle plan to my fellow knights. We would divide and concur until we found the damsels in distress. I gave the orders for the kids to go one way, while I climbed the last stairwell to where I knew my girls awaited.

I swung the door open quickly to be dramatic, and then acted as if I put my sword in my belt, before I knelt down and bowed my head. MC tried hard to keep a straight face as she lay on the ground with her eyes closed.

"Your Royal Highness, it's my honor to have saved you," I stated dramatically.

Makenna ran to me still playing her part.

"Thank you, kind sir, but my sister is the one that needs to be saved. Please help her, you're our last hope." She pleaded and begged.

"What does Milady need help with?" I asked.

"An evil witch cast a spell on her and only a kiss can break it. You must kiss her before the witch comes back and takes her away for good." She cried out, perfectly in character, as if she were reading it from one of her books.

"Very well, let me break the spell with a kiss." I stood up and puffed out my chest.

Makenna ran over to MC and dropped to her knees.

"Please hurry, sir, we don't have much time."

I walked over to where the girls were and bent down on one knee next to Makenna.

"What's your sister's name, your Royal Highness?" I asked.

"It's Lady Mary Claire, but call her MC or she'll be mad at you." She giggled.

"Very well. Lady MC, I shall break the spell bestowed upon you by the evil witch, and then I shall take you both back to Castle Cullen where I can keep you protected forever."

I ran my finger down MC's nose causing her to let out a little giggle. I bent my head and started placing small kisses all over her face causing the giggles to come out loud and clear.

I rose up and threw my hands in the air before I shouted, "Praise be to the king, she is alive!"

The girls were laughing at my outburst as a few fellow knights strolled in.

I grabbed both girls, pulled them up to my chest, then ran down the stairs and shouted back to the kids. "I have claimed these two princesses as my own. We shall retreat to my castle in a far away land. Thank you for your help young knights. You were very brave."

When we reached the bottom both girls were hysterical and I was out of breath from carrying them.

"You're so funny, Edward," MC remarked.

"I'm glad you liked my performance, Milady," I said, and bowed to them.

"Daddy, I'm thirsty. Do you have anything to drink?" Makenna asked.

"Sure baby, let me run to the car and get a bottle of water. Stay right here at the table where I can see you," I responded and walked towards my SUV.

When I got there, I heard my phone ding to indicate I had a text. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and saw it was from Bella.

The smile on my face slowly disappeared as I read her message, _I need to talk to you._

We needed to talk, or anything related to that statement, normally wasn't good. I wondered if Alice convinced her that I was not worth another shot, or maybe I read all of her signals wrong, and she was not interested like I thought she was.

The girls were waiting on me so I walked back over to the table and handed them both a water bottle then told them to go play for ten more minutes.

I needed some time to clear my head and neither option seemed right. Despite the fact that those words normally didn't mean good things when used, I would not run away. I would face whatever Bella had to say to me, and if needed I would take two steps back to just be her friend again.

After the day I'd had, I was certain of one thing; there was no way I could go on in life without MC in it, and not just for Makenna either. That little girl stole a piece of my heart and I didn't want it back. I would fight for Bella to understand how much they meant to me.

I grabbed my phone to respond to her.

_**Ok leavin in 5 2 pick up food. Want 2 meet at ur house? ~ Dr. E. Cullen**_

Bella responded quickly which had to be a good sign, right?

_Sounds good, see you soon. : )_

She included a smile, which was a good thing. Maybe I jumped to the wrong conclusions and I needed to find out.

I rounded up the girls and we made our way to McDonald's. MC was gracious enough to let Makenna decide where we went, because she learned how picky Makenna was. I wasn't sure if Bella would be hungry after her breakfast, but I asked MC what her mom liked. She rattled off a couple different items on the menu and I ordered two different options, figuring Bella could pick which one she wanted and I would take the other.

The girls and I chatted the whole way home, making the ride go quickly. I pulled up to the house and parked next to Bella's car in the driveway. As we got out of my SUV, Bella appeared at the door and both girls ran up to her babbling about the park and how much fun they had.

When I reached the door, she smirked at me and I smiled back, forgetting about the tension I carried since I received her text.

"Why, Sir Edward, it's an honor to have you visit my estate. Please do come in." She gestured into the house with her hand and giggled.

"Shut it, Isabella. Our daughters needed to be saved from the dragons and I wasn't about to let some unworthy boy break MC's spell by kissing her." I responded as I tried to keep a straight face.

She laughed at my response while making our way inside.

Lunch went by with all of us engaged in conversation. Bella loved hearing about our day in more detail, and asked if she could come along the next time. When the girls weren't paying attention, I teased her that she wanted to be kissed awake by me and not by some little boy. She responded by saying she just wanted to be kissed by me period. The next opportunity I had, I would do just that.

The girls brought us out of our moment.

"Ugh, they're making goo goo eyes at each other, _again_. Let's go see if iCarly is on, Makenna," MC said as she got up from the table.

Makenna looked back and forth between Bella and me, gave us a sweet smile then she disappeared down the hallway.

"Good to know they aren't into goo goo eyes yet," I stated. Bella laughed and nodded her head.

"Let's hope it stays that way for a very long time. I'm not ready for crushes yet."

I didn't respond, not wanting to take the subject any further. Since the day Makenna was born, I prayed that she didn't notice boys existed until she turned thirty. I knew it was unlikely, but there was no harm in dreaming.

Bella cleaned up all the garbage and then suggested we go to the living room to be more comfortable. I figured she was ready to talk about whatever was on her mind. My palms were a little bit sweaty, but I knew whatever she had to say, I would get through it. What other choice did I have?

I sat down on the corner of the couch and Bella sat next to me and then turned her body to face me.

"I'm sorry I sent you a text telling you I wanted to talk to you. After I sent it I realized you may freak out over it since I was so vague."

"That's okay, Bella. You can talk to me about whatever is on your mind, you know that right?" I asked since she seemed a little nervous herself.

She nodded her head and started to pick imaginary lint off of her sweater.

"Allie and I had a great time this morning. Thanks for coming over so early," she said, clearly stalling.

"Anytime, Bizzy, I've told you that. I had just as much fun as they did today, and I don't mind having MC whenever you want a break."

Bella scooted closer to me and grabbed my hand.

"Spending time with Allie is always great, but this time it was even better than normal, because she helped me work through some of my feelings."

I swallowed the lump stuck in my throat as I waited for her to continue. I wanted to look her in the eyes but couldn't bring myself to do it; worried she would see my fears and clam up.

"I've realized I'm happy ninety-nine percent of the time. What I've learned since you've been back is that last one percent is connected to you. You make me whole, Edward. I don't want to live incomplete anymore."

I closed my eyes and tried to gather the perfect words to respond to her but nothing felt good enough.

Bella really did want me; she wanted us to be a couple again and her actions the night before were real.

"Please tell me you feel this way too, Edward. That you want me as much as I want you," she whispered.

I kept my eyes closed, too afraid if I opened them, our conversation would not be real.

"I must be dreaming," I mumbled aloud, as I shook my head.

"You're not dreaming, Edward. Open your eyes and look at me," Bella responded, and I could feel her breath on my face.

"Nope. I don't want to wake up, I've been dreaming about this for weeks. Hell, longer than that, more like eight years. There's no way this is really coming true; that _you_ actually _want me_, like I want you."

Bella laughed and I felt the couch dip a little as she scooted closer to me. I felt her hands on my face as she tried to pull my head towards her.

"Want me to prove to you this isn't a dream?" She asked.

I nodded my head, curious to see what she had planned.

Her breathing picked up and before I knew it, I felt her warm lips touch mine.

I opened my eyes and was met with hers instantly. They were dancing with excitement and I knew it was real. We were together and I would never be without her again.

I smiled against her lips, and pulled her closer to give her a kiss to seal the deal.

**A/N: So, do you think swooning should be an Olympic sport now? So, if you were Bella, where would you want Edward to take you on a date? *looks at pervy twimomlover* We know… the backseat, the closet, a dungeon, or to a threesome with Masen… we get it. =)**

**A picture of the playground that Knight Edward took his princesses to has been posted on PhotoBucket, along with a few others. The link is on our profile.**

**Just as a reminder, we post a pictease on TwiSherry's blog every Monday and have a teaser on The Fictionators.**

**Thanks for reading. If you have the time, please review and we'll send you a teaser for the next chapter.**

_P.S. Thanks for the eating tips for my daughter. 3 ladysharkey1_

_P.S.S. Have a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend._


	11. Queen of Hearts

**Thank you to our beta LZTZ, and prereader tanglingshadows, for all of their help and support.**

**Disclaimer: We don't own Twilight, but it owns us.**

**Chapter 11 – Queen of Hearts**

_**Bella **_

I felt like I was dreaming.

Well, I was being a little dramatic but still, I felt as if my dreams had the potential to come true. A few months ago that was not the case; I was living day to day not thinking of what the future held.

Before New Year's Eve I was happy and content with my life. I didn't mind being a single mom with a career that I loved and a daughter who gave me all the happiness I truly needed.

That was until I lay down in bed at night.

In the darkness of my bedroom I could be honest with myself. I didn't have to pretend I was not lonely, nor did I have to tell anyone I was fine. I admitted to myself that there was something missing, I just never thought I would find a way to fill that empty spot.

Lying in bed I truly realized that all the pieces had fallen into place. They may not be shiny, pretty or new, but they are the lost pieces that I needed to be content.

Edward was my missing piece, and along with him came a bonus I had never expected, Makenna. I couldn't find it in my heart to regret him leaving me years ago. Just as we were meant to be together, we had to be apart to make us the people we became and with the children we had not dreamed of, but could never live without.

Once I fell asleep I had vivid, beautiful dreams that night. They were filled with the four of us sharing every day life. I didn't need trips or parties, just being able to do routine things with them would be a dream come true in itself.

"Hey, Bella! How are you?" My friend Angela asked as we talked during my much needed lunch break. We had similar lunch schedules since she was a teacher so we made a point to call each other and catch up during the day, opposed to at night.

It had been a terrible day so far. Three eight grade girls got into an argument over a boy and I had to intervene, suspend two of the girls for fighting, and call the parents of the third. That was after an early morning planning session with the seventh grade team to discuss ways to improve our testing scores from last year. Some days I needed a reminder of why I chose my profession.

I groaned. "Well, let's just say you calling me made my day better."

"That bad, huh? I can't imagine doing your job on a good day. You really have the patience of a saint."

"I don't know about that, but there are days when I wonder if there's anything that makes a difference in the long run for these kids."

"I'm sure there is. It's just a tough age," Angela said with a laugh. "Change of subject and yes I'm calling to gossip."

I rolled my eyes even though she couldn't see me.

"I heard from Allie that Edward is back in town. I can't freaking believe it! She said you guys are friends again."

"Um, yeah, we are. We had some really tough conversations and we also talked about ways to make sure we don't run into the same issues… Well, you know what I mean. We both have kids now, so there's a need for us to make it right early on because we don't want to hurt them."

"I think that's a great idea. You need to include them in some of the decisions too. Allie said Edward's daughter is adorable and that she gets along well with MC."

"Ang, Makenna is a very sweet girl and they're like two peas in a pod. Honestly, I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop. I don't know how long their little BFF honeymoon will last, but so far there's not an end in sight."

"It's great that they get along so well and you never know, that shoe may never drop. Just take it day by day and expect only good things to happen. They have each other, it may make their acceptance of you and Edward being together a little easier for them. Where's he taking you for Valentine's Day? If he's anything like the Edward Cullen I used to know, I'm sure he'll go all out." Again, she laughed.

"I don't know. Honestly, he hasn't mentioned a thing."

He had been extremely busy at work just like I had. We had spoken a little every day the past week either by phone, email or, text, but only managed to meet for dinner one night. Since the girls were around, we couldn't really have a grown up conversation. I did learn that Edward was up to date on his iCarly episodes. That made him even more attractive to me because many men tried to be involved in their child's interests.

"I'm sure whatever he comes up with, you'll have a great time. Well, I guess I better let you get back to your lunch. I know you don't get to take one very often since you're the big time principal and all."

I laughed. "Yeah, I feel big time ya dork. Tell Ben I said hi and don't be a stranger. You don't have to wait to call me until you need some hot gossip, okay?" I continued to laugh. I really missed being able to see Angela as much as I would like due to the fact she still lived in Forks. She had been a great friend to me over the years and I was even a bridesmaid in her wedding. She was always around when I needed her, but more so than ever when Jake passed away.

"I know, but I just wanted to hear it from you. I honestly wish you the best. Just take your time and enjoy reconnecting. I'm happy that you've found each other again. I love you and I'll talk to you later."

"Love you, too. Bye Ang."

"Bye."

I finished my ham and cheese sandwich while I looked over a few resumes' I had for a new substitute teaching position I needed to fill. I heard footsteps walking towards my office.

"Mrs. Black, you have a delivery," Mrs. Garrett said as she knocked on my door.

"Thank you for bringing it in," I said as I reached for the box. It did not feel heavy, but there was definitely some curiosity as to what I had received.

I opened the box to find an old-fashioned candy dispenser filled with red, pink and white peanut _M&M's_. Upon closer inspection, I could see they had writing on them. _Be my Valentine_ and _IL Bistro 7pm_ was written in black letters across the individual pieces.

Edward remembered my favorite candy and I was elated. I reached into my drawer to grab my phone to call him.

"Hi, sweetheart," Edward said with a bit of laughter in his voice.

"Yes," I said simply.

"So you got them, I presume?" He asked with a light chuckle.

"I did. What a great idea. I didn't even know you could order personalized _M&M's_. Do you think you bought enough? The leaflet that came with them said there's three pounds here. I'm going to be on a sugar high all day if I eat just a few handfuls." I popped some in my mouth.

"Well, I wasn't leaving it up to Cupid this time, but I thought you'd like them more than flowers. Plus, every time you eat one I know you'll think of me. I'm all you're allowed to think about over the next week." His voice turned quiet, but firm.

I could play that game.

"Cullen, you're all I think about now, but putting these in my mouth sure brings back some great memories of other things I used to put in there," I all but whispered, hearing him groan on the other end of the line.

"Hold up. You can't say that shit to me while I'm getting ready to see a patient. You're not playing fair."

My whiny man. Didn't he know I did not play fair?

"Edward, who said I had to play fair? And besides, you started it. Let's change the subject, all right? What time do you get off work tonight?"

"Seven, but I won't be able to call you until Makenna goes to bed. Is nine-thirty good for you?"

I looked at my calendar and mentally calculated what time the meeting would be over and answered his question. "How about we make it ten? I have a PTA meeting tonight and Allie is watching MC for me. I'll call you as soon as I can, but I've got to go. I hope the rest of your day goes well. Thanks again, Edward, it was really sweet of you and I can't wait to be your Valentine." I ended with a raspy voice just to tease him again.

"Isabella, please, have some mercy on me. I can't walk around like this all day. Please, be nice." Edward practically begged. It was nice knowing that I affected him as much as he did me.

"I'm sorry, Dr. Cullen, I'll play fair if I have to for now, but it's not my fault you're so damn irresistible."

He laughed. "Okay meanie, I've really got to get going too. Thanks for saying yes. I promise you won't regret it."

"I'm looking forward to it. Bye, Edward."

"Bye, Bella."

Less than a week later I found myself slipping on my heels and putting the finishing touches on my Valentine's Day outfit.

Edward had texted me and said he was running late at work and to meet him at his condo.

Esme had volunteered to watch MC overnight so she had to finish packing her bag and then we'd be on our way.

I had butterflies in my stomach, but was looking forward to spending some time with him. I loved having the girls around, but we needed to step away at times and just learn about each other without entertaining our daughters.

I walked back into my bathroom and looked into the mirror to check my makeup. As I touched up my strawberry lip gloss, I remembered the first time Edward kissed me. It was the night of our first official date as a couple.

Edward had asked me to join him at the Sweetheart Dance my sophomore year of high school. For months, we had been flirting with each other in the hallways and during lunch. Alice told me she knew he would ask me, but being an underclassman, I didn't believe he would.

My mom and I found the perfect dress. It was a black strapless dress with white polka-dots covering the lace overlay. A red sash defined my waist and the gorgeous daisy pinned to it completed the look.

"You look beautiful, Bella. You're going to take his breath away." My mom quietly said, while wiping a tear away with a tissue.

"Thanks, Mom. I'm really glad you talked me into getting a new dress. I love it!" And I did. I knew Edward would love it too.

She walked over and stood behind me while I clipped my hair into a barrette and brushed the back one last time.

"You know, Bella, I think tonight you will get your very first kiss. There's no way that he'll be able to resist you when you look so pretty." She smiled and rubbed my shoulders.

I giggled and told her I hoped he would.

My mom was probably more excited than I was that night. She had preached to me for years to put my books down, go out and have fun. To say that she enjoyed helping me get ready was an understatement.

He picked me up at my house and met my parents as my boyfriend. We had been an official couple for about seven hours by dinner time. Wearing black dress pants, red button down shirt, and a skinny black tie, he shook my father's hand.

"Chief Swan, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Edward… Edward Cullen."

"Hello, Edward," my dad responded, always short with words.

As we walked into the school gym, all eyes turned to us. I anticipated feeling a sense of unworthiness holding his hand in front of all the girls who wished to be in my place. I was wrong. I found that I couldn't care less what people thought and actually felt proud to be with him as his girlfriend.

During one of the slower songs played that night, we held each other close and everything around us disappeared.

_**Every time I look into your eyes I'm helplessly aware  
That the someone I've been searching for is right there**_

Edward took his time bending down to touch his lips to mine. In that one soft kiss, he stole my breath and my heart forever became his.

We danced, laughed and kissed all night long. Edward had asked me twice what flavor lip gloss I was wearing and once I felt him lick it off my lips. I planned to beg my mom to buy me a case for my birthday since he liked it so much.

Unconscientiously I felt myself licking my lips at the memory of our first date and was brought back to reality. Well, that and the sound of my daughter saying, "Momma, are you ready to go yet?"

"Yes, sweetie. Did you remember your toothbrush? Last time you stayed at Allie and Jasper's you forgot it."

MC giggled. "Nope, I forgot it again." As she ran off, I heard her laugh at herself and was back in no time. "Sorry."

"It's okay, that's what I'm here for. Let's go." I picked up her overnight bag and my purse, locked up and set the alarm then drove to Edward's condo.

After I parked and we walked across the lot, MC looked up at me and smiled. "You look very pretty."

"Thanks, baby girl. That's very nice of you to say. Make sure you're good for Esme and Carlisle tonight, have fun with Makenna and I'll pick you up bright and early. I love you."

"Love you, too, Momma," MC spoke as she walked faster towards where Makenna stood with her grandparents.

The sight of Edward walking towards me across the lobby was one I hoped I would never forget. It looked like he tried to style his hair into submission, but it fought back and won the battle; messy and sticking up all over. He wore shiny black dress shoes, black suit and white shirt. It wasn't until he got closer that I realized he put on a Valentine's Day tie.

His tie was black, except for the red hearts that fell and connected, fading it to red at the bottom. It was absolutely adorable and made me giddy.

I looked up into his eyes and smiled; he was beautiful. He leaned over and kissed my forehead.

"This is for you, sweetheart." He handed me a yellow rose, with red tips. I couldn't remember the last time someone had given me a rose.

"Thank you, Edward, it's beautiful."

"It's not as beautiful as you. Do you know the meaning behind the colors?"

I rolled my eyes and giggled. "Um, no I don't. I guess I'm not _that_ type of girl. What does it mean?"

"Well, Google says it means friendship and falling in love. It was the perfect choice."

Did I just hear him correctly? I understood the friendship aspect of the meaning, but falling in love? Was he falling in love with me just as quickly as I found myself doing the same thing? I hoped so.

I took the rose from him as I reached out for his hand and pulled him into a hug.

We held each other tightly and I whispered in his ear, "Yes, it's perfect."

Pulling back a little, I caught the girls pointing at us and whispering in one another's ears. I could only imagine what they were talking about. I also noticed that Carlisle was playing it cool, although I could see a small smirk as he tried to focus on Makenna and MC and ignore us, but it didn't work. Esme didn't find the need to pretend. Her smile was huge and she met my eyes and winked at me causing me to laugh at her.

"What's so funny?" Edward asked with a sound of playfulness in his voice.

"Your mom."

"Let me guess… You just got the patented Esme Cullen wink, right?" He guessed.

"Sure did. You ready to go, Cullen?" I slowly pulled him over to the girls to say goodbye.

"Ladies, I want you to be good tonight, okay? Go to bed when you're asked and don't beg for more time like you did with me last week. MC, remember you're a little lady now and that you need to use your manners. Makenna, that goes for you too, all right?"

"Yes, Momma."

"I will, Bella. I like your dress," Makenna added.

"Thanks, sweetie. I'll miss you girls." I gave them each a hug and thanked Esme and Carlisle for watching them.

Edward hugged and kissed the girls, including his mom, then shook his dad's hand. I felt his fingers intertwining with mine as we waved goodbye one last time then walked away hand in hand.

**~~ E & B ~~**

**Edward **

We walked into IL Bistro holding hands and after I gave the hostess my name, we stood off to the side and waited for our table to be ready. While standing there, it was obvious that Bella was occupied with taking in the beauty of the restaurant. Because of that, she didn't see I was equally as captivated by her.

My eyes slowly made their way up her body. The black strappy heals she wore made her legs look toned and seemed as if they went on forever, while the red dress she had on was classy, yet sexy as hell.

The neckline was wide and rested against her clavicle, causing her neck to look long and flawless. It screamed at me to nuzzle and lick it. I wanted to run my hands against the soft fabric of her dress and feel every curve of her body. Her breasts and hips were tastefully covered but showed off her hourglass shape. The peephole in the center of her back made it clear she had no bra on and her tight ass was on display perfectly.

If she wanted to pick something that would tease and torture me all night, she did a hell of a job.

I continued to ogle her until she grasped my hand and pulled me out of my lust filled bubble. She reminded me we were in a public place. I was disappointed I could not fully appreciate the goddess who stood in front of me.

Bella moved a little closer and whispered in my ear.

"Enjoying the view, Dr. Cullen?" She softly said with a hint of playfulness.

"It's the most beautiful view I've ever seen," I smiled at her then added, "The restaurant isn't too bad either."

She smiled back at me and continued to look around.

IL Bistro was actually quite alluring. The lights were dimmed and the restaurant was illuminated in a red glow. Soft candles flickered from the center of each table and it helped set the romantic and intimate ambiance. The large floor to ceiling windows allowed lights from the market place to shine in and gave the room the illusion there were twinkling lights everywhere. I could see why it was rated one of Seattle's most romantic restaurants.

Our name was called and we were taken to our table, which was nestled in the back by the makeshift dance floor. A jazz band was playing what sounded like a Kenny G song; it was the perfect setting to spend the evening with my girl.

After we placed our orders, I grabbed Bella's hand from across the table and started to rub small circles on her palm.

"This place is beautiful, Edward, thank you so much for bringing me here. I have to ask though, how did you get reservations on such a short notice?"

"My mother." I laughed and Bella raised her eyebrows questioning my vague answer.

"This was their reservation actually. When I asked her for some suggestions on where to take you tonight, she insisted on us using them. She said we would appreciate them more than they would, and that we had something they'd rather have then spending a night out."

She gave me a confused looked then asked, "What do we have that they would want?"

"The girls," I replied and she grinned.

"Are you saying you pawned our daughters for a night out at this incredible restaurant?"

"I did." I shrugged as we both laughed.

"I always knew you were a smart man. This place is amazing and so perfect for our first date." She ran her finger around the rim of her wine glass and looked up at me with her eyes smoldering with passion.

"Any place would've been perfect, as long as you were there, Bella."

I went on to explain that my mom wanted a night with the girls. She loved the time she had shared with Makenna and was dying to get more in with MC. I could tell my mom was in love with MC already since she talked non-stop about her and my father expressed that he wanted to get to know her too. Esme made a comment after the day she watched the girls that MC reminded her of herself as a child and it was refreshing for her because it brought back so many memories. My mom also stated that she witnessed the instant bond the girls formed and it was as if she was watching her and her sister Maggie play as children. I loved that we could bring some of my mom's happier memories back to her through our girls.

We nibbled on our calamari appetizer while we listened to the band play and made small talk. Bella told me funny stories about her students and we laughed reminiscing about our own tales from middle school. I shared with her that I was adjusting to the hospital and how I had started to consider looking into specialties again, feeling as if I need a new challenge in my career.

Our entrées arrived and I couldn't help but notice Bella eyeing my food as she took small bites of her salmon and pushed the vegetables around on her plate.

"Would you like some of my beef tenderloin?"

Her eyes got wide as she nodded her head and didn't waste any time to switch our plates. I really enjoyed my own entrée, but was happy to give it to her since that was what she wanted. I would give her the world if she asked for it.

The fact that she stole my plate without any hesitation showed how comfortable she was with me. We were starting over, but it was if we were the same Bella and Edward from years ago, with no boundaries between us. That was one of the things that always made me feel as if our relationship was unique. I was never able to fully let my guard down with women and let them consume me like I did with Bella.

We finished our dinner and ordered the Torta Cioccolato to share. As soon as I saw the description of chocolate and espresso I knew it would be what she picked for her dessert.

Couples, old and young, swayed to the soft music with love and admiration written all over the faces. Some were whispering to each other, or sharing lingering looks but others had their eyes closed and enjoyed the way it felt to have their special someone in their arms.

I wanted to feel Bella that close to me, to have my arms wrapped around her as we shared the same feeling those couples had.

"Bella," I softly said, causing her to look away from the crowd and back at me.

"Will you dance with me?" I asked.

Before she could answer, the waiter interrupted us announcing our dessert had arrived. After he placed the plate in the middle of the table, he started to hand both of us a forks. Bella put her hand up to stop him.

"Only one fork, please." She smiled up at him. He nodded and walked away.

I tilted my head with a quirked eyebrow and she giggled at my silent question.

I teased her, "I hope you don't think that cake is all yours, sweetheart. As my date, you have to share with me."

"Oh, I plan to share with you but it'll be when I decide to feed you," she said, as she held the fork filled with cake up to her lips and took a bite.

She closed her eyes and let out a small moan that went straight to my cock.

Fuck eating the cake. Watching her lick the fork and hearing her moan like that was satisfying enough.

"Ohmygod, Edward. This cake is amazing! Here try a bite." She held out the fork for me.

I opened my mouth slowly and pushed my tongue out awaiting my bite. My lips closed around the fork and I shut my eyes. The cake was fucking heaven; I could see why Bella was drooling over it.

I whimpered and opened my eyes to find a flushed Bella staring at me with her mouth open a little. I licked some chocolate off my lip and smirked at her.

She shook her head and chuckled.

"No more cake for you. If you continue to make that face, you will dazzle all the ladies in here and I don't want to get in a fight wearing my favorite heels."

I sat back in my chair and laughed, loving the fact that she felt me eating cake was as erotic as I did.

"That's okay, Bizzy. Watching you lick and suck on the fork is dessert enough for me. Go right ahead and finish it." I leaned a little closer to her and dropped my voice before I continued, "And the only woman I want to dazzle tonight and forever, is you."

A smug looked crept on my face as I watched her fumble with words to respond.

Bella savored the rest of the cake and made sure to describe each bite in detail. She was such a tease and I enjoyed every minute of our playful conversation. The faces she made would be etched in my brain and would help cure the worst case of blue balls I had in awhile when I got home and into my shower when I took matters into my own hands.

When she was about to take her last bite, I reached into my jacket pocket and took out the two cards I had stuffed in there. I placed them next to her wine glass with the one from Makenna on top.

"What are these?" She asked.

"Open them and see." I responded.

I watched her slowly open the top card with an intrigued looked. Her expression softened the minute she realized who it was from.

On the front of the card Makenna drew a picture of Bella and placed conversation hearts stickers all around with words that she said reminded her of Bella.

Pretty. Sweet. Silly. Loving. Cutie. Sunshine. Purr-fect. Dream. Bear Hug.

When my daughter asked if she could make Bella a Valentine's Day card, I was pleased that she seemed to like her so much. However, I became elated when I saw the card she created. I asked her about the stickers she picked out, and she explained why she chose the ones she did. The best part was seeing her face light up when she gave her reasons for each one. She was falling in love with Bella and there were no words to describe how happy that made me.

"That's so sweet of her. Did you help her make this?" She asked.

"Nope, she made it all by herself and all of the stickers were handpicked too. She said they were words that reminded her of you." I answered.

A smile radiated from her beautiful face as she looked back down at the card and brushed her finger over the hearts.

She turned the other card over and saw _Bizzy_ written in my handwriting. Without looking up, she pulled it out and she opened it.

After noticing my card was handmade too, she gasped and looked up at me with watery eyes.

"You remembered," she whispered, and dabbed the corner of her eyes where tears started to gather.

"Of course, how could I forget?"

Our tradition of making each other cards started the first year we had dated. I asked Bella to be my date to a dance but during the day at school, I slipped a heart cut out of construction paper into her locker that said _Will you be my girlfriend?, Circle Yes or No._ I found it back in my locker after school with a heart around the _Yes_ and _XOXO Your Bella._

Every year after that we made each other a card even when we were just friends, but then the cards changed into funny sayings. Sometimes they were something simple but regardless of what they said, they were always special and _our_ tradition.

I was a little sad that she would think I wouldn't remember to make her one but I pushed the feeling aside not wanting to ruin the moment.

On the front of my card I drew two overlapping hearts with Makenna's glitter pens on white paper. One was pink and had a _B_ in it and the other was red with an _E_. In the area that overlapped I made tiny smile faces. With a black marker I drew an arrow pointing towards the purple area where the pink and red combined and I wrote _HAPPINESS_ in all capital letters.

Inside held a simple message that explained how thankful I was she agreed to be my Valentine and asked her to check _Yes_ or _No_ if she would be my girlfriend.

She read the card several times then brushed away more tears.

"I love it, thank you. I feel like a complete ass because I don't have one for you. I didn't think you would remember and didn't want you to feel bad. Here it is the other way around now."

I stood up and moved my chair next to hers then wrapped an arm around her and took her hand into mine.

"Bella, I don't need a card, just you here being with me tonight and giving me another chance is more than I could ever hope for, so please don't feel bad."

I brushed my thumb against her cheek to dry the tear that lingered there.

"You're my every wish come true, so, _thank you,_ Bella for making today the best Valentine's Day I've ever had."

I placed a kiss on her cheek and she snuggled into my side.

"Makenna asked me last week if you're my girlfriend but I never responded to her. I figured it was something we should talk about. So Bella, my sweet Valentine, will you do me the honor of being my girlfriend?"

She turned my face to look at hers before answering.

"Of course, Edward. I thought we already established this last week but if you want me to circle Yes and leave it in the car for you, I will." She laughed lightly.

The air surrounding us was light and I felt fulfilled with having Bella by side with no lingering questions on our status anymore.

We walked towards the back of the parking lot as we left when I realized I never got to dance with Bella and planned to rectify that.

When we reached the SUV, instead of walking her to the passenger side, I walked towards my door and squeezed her hand before I let go to open it.

"Don't move, beautiful, our night isn't over yet."

I got into in the driver's seat and turned the ignition on to start up the radio. I pushed the search button until I found a station that played slow music.

I walked towards where Bella was waiting for me with anticipation.

"What are you up to, Edward? I thought we were leaving?" She questioned me.

I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her close, then leaned down to speak directly into her ear.

"I've wanted to dance with you all night," I said, and we started to sway.

"You're crazy. We're in the parking lot."

"I am crazy, Bella. I'm crazy about you and I don't care where we are. I want to hold you close and dance, so humor me please." I stated.

Bella laughed and wrapped her arms around my neck. I could hear her humming the song. Between her soft sounds and the words themselves, I was able to drown out the world around us and concentrate solely on the amazing woman I held to my chest.

_**There's no more waiting**__**  
**__**Holding out for love**__**  
**__**You are my **__**Godsend**__**  
**__**That I have been forever dreaming of**__**  
**__**My angel from above**_

"What song is this?" I asked.

"It's _Lost in You_." She answered with a sigh before she continued. "It's so beautiful."

I nodded my head to agree as I listened some more.

_**Heaven knows**__**  
**__**I'm **__**head over heels**__** and it shows**__**  
**__**I've played every field I suppose**__**  
**__**But there's something about you**__**  
**__**When you're around**__**  
**__**Baby I have found**__**  
**__**I get lost in you**_

I couldn't have picked a better song to describe my feelings for Bella. I was amazed that someone actually captured them and put them into words.

Once again, fate seemed to be on my side.

"You're right, it's beautiful and it reminds me of how I feel about you," I whispered.

Bella continued to hum as her left hand fell from my neck and ran its way down my arm leaving tingles in its path. I loosened my hold on her and moved her hand to pull in between us, directly above my heart.

As I took in the sight of her in my arms and how we fit together perfectly, I became overwhelmed with the sense of urgency to kiss her. She looked up at me and licked her lips silently signaling me she wanted it too.

I slowly bent my head as she turned hers a little and our lips met gently. Her lips were soft, wet and tasted like a mixture of chocolate from dessert and her signature strawberry lip gloss. I couldn't help but to moan a little as the memory of our kiss awakened me.

My eyes were hooded and fought hard to remain open, not wanting to miss a moment of watching her but I couldn't, they closed naturally on their own.

Her bottom lip was sucked into my mouth, my teeth scraped against it along the way. The nibbling caused her to give a small moan herself, fueling my desire even more.

I raised my hands to grasp her head to deepen the kiss while Bella's hands fisted the front on my shirt tightly. I was elated she was just as lost as I was.

Over the years my heart always reminded me how much I missed her. Being connected to Bella with a kiss, awakened my body and made me realize how much I missed her touch. The tightening feeling in my stomach started to make itself known.

My tongue lightly caressed hers once, twice, three times, before I went to pull away.

Want and need ran through my veins, making my body feel as if it was on fire despite the cool air surrounding us.

Bella started to pant as I moved my lips to the edge of her mouth and slowly made my way up her jaw until I found her ear.

"Awe, Isabella, you're driving me fucking crazy."

She reached up on her toes and gave me chaste kiss before she wrapped her fingers around my tie.

"Your kisses are better than I remembered, Cullen, and I'm not ready to stop just yet."

With that she pulled me closer and we kissed while the song continued to serenade us.  
_

**A/N:** **Oh my… the things we'd do to be Edward's Valentine. It reminds us of the "What would you do for a Klondike bar?" commercials. We'd do anything. *shrugs* **_**Just saying.**_

Restaurant: IL Bistro - w w w . ilbistro . net

The song E & B danced to at the Sweetheart Dance in high school: Hold on to the Night by Richard Marx

The song playing while they walked into the restaurant: Songbird by Kenny G

The song on the radio in the parking lot: Lost in You by Chris Gaines (This is Garth before he was famous!)

PhotoBucket has been updated.

ladysharkey1 was a guest reviewer for _Someone Like You_ by _bellasunderstudy1_ which was rec'd by The Fictionators on June 3rd. Check it out here: w w w . fictionators . com / rec / someone-like-you-by-bellasunderstudy1 _It's one of our favorites!_

**As always, thanks for reading. If you have the time, please review and we'll send you a teaser for the next chapter. Keep in mind, if you have PMs disabled we aren't able to send you reviews w/teasers. There were a few of you this affected last chapter. Sorry we can't thank you "in person", but we wish we could. **


	12. My Wish

**Thank you to our beta LZTZ, and prereader tanglingshadows, for all of their help and support.**

**Disclaimer: We don't own Twilight, but it owns us.**

**Chapter 12 - My Wish**

_**Edward **_

"_Dr. E. Cullen, line 326. Dr. E. Cullen, line 326 please."_ The loud speaker blared as I walked down the Emergency Room corridor.

It had been the day from hell due to an extreme storm that passed through Seattle. The E.R. department was bombarded and asked for assistance causing me to spend the day tending to accident patients. I loved being a doctor, but days like these are very tiresome, both mentally and physically.

All I wanted to do was to go home and have dinner with my girls. When Bella and I exchanged texts earlier in the day, during a two minute coffee break, she promised to cook my favorite dinner to help make up for my stressful day.

I groaned and let out a huff as I walked to the nearest nurses' station to take the incoming call. With the way the day had progressed, I was convinced it would be my boss, Dr. Banner, on the line with the request to stay and work a double shift.

"Dr. Cullen speaking," I said into the receiver as I pulled out a chair to take a seat.

"Yo, kid, what'cha doing?" A booming voice responded and caught me off guard.

"Emmett? Why are you calling me at work? Is everything okay?" I tried to keep the panic out of my voice, but was concerned about why my brother would call me at the hospital.

"Can't a guy want to talk to his kid brother? Damn."

I let out a deep breath to calm myself.

"Yeah you can, but I'm at work, Em. You know… where I'm busy taking care of people. I don't have time to talk right now; it's a fucking mad house here today." I grumbled.

"Well, I had something important to tell you, that's why I called." He cleared his voice. "You know what Saturday is right?" He paused to add to the suspense. "It's the best fucking day of the year in my opinion- my birthday!" He boomed and I pulled the phone away from my ear.

I tried to keep a serious look on my face and not laugh; only my brother would declare his birthday the best day of the year.

"I want to have a night out to party it up, I'm only turning 35 once, ya know? So, you and your new eye candy need to hit mom up to babysit and come out with me and Rose. We're thinking The Hangover for a discount on drinks 'cause I plan to toast to myself all night long."

The loud laugh I let out caused nurses and waiting patients to turn and look at me.

"I've got to go Em. I'll talk to Bella, but I'm pretty sure you can count us in. Oh and don't call me at work unless it's an emergency. You scared the shit out of me thinking something was wrong."

"You're too uptight Eddie, but I'm proud of you, kid. Go save some lives." With that the phone went dead and I shook my head at my crazy ass brother.

As much as his phone call bothered me by him calling the hospital and not my cell, my mood improved and gave me something else to look forward to as I waited for the clock to strike six.

The remainder of the week passed by quickly, and took the rain with it.

Saturday night found us at the bar with Emmett, Rose and their group of friends. Rose invited Jasper and Alice as well and we made plans to meet them there. When we arrived the music was thumping and the line to the bar was long; it appeared that The Hangover had become very popular since its opening.

Rose, being the good manger she was, surveyed the room and took in what was going on before she motioned for us to take a seat in a roped off section of long tables. She said she needed to check on a few things and would join us shortly. Bella was seated next to one of Rose's friend and immediately became engrossed in a conversation with her so I waived down a waitress to get our drinks started.

"Welcome to The Hangover! Can I suggest a shot for you to try tonight? The Deep Throat is my favorite." The waitress peered over the table at me and smirked.

Before I could respond, Bella's head whipped around and looked up with a glare on her face. I saw her eyes dart from the waitress' name tag to her eyes before she narrowed her own.

"Gianna," she spat out while she made sure to pronounce each syllable of her name. "He'll take whatever you have on tap. Bud Light or Hefeweizen, preferably. I'll have a Midori Sour, but make it double." Bella turned her head and continued her conversation. The waitress and I both were left stunned by her response.

She looked back and forth between us and waited for me to correct Bella's order but there was no need to. It was exactly what I had wanted and I gave her a smile, and then said a low _thanks_.

Rose walked back over to the group and Bella called out to her.

"You need to teach your girls that if they want tips they shouldn't be flirting with men that clearly aren't available."

Rose gave her a confused look then walked over to us and listened to Bella's story about Gianna. The girls stayed huddled together for a short time before Rose stood up and went to take her place with Emmett at the head of the table.

I didn't put too much thought into Bella's conversation with Rose, I was well aware of how waitresses acted in bars. They wanted to encourage their customers to drink. Some women used their assets to get that point across and, as a man I would never blame them for trying. Bella's actions surprised me though, but I would be lying if I said I wasn't pleased that she was jealous, even if she had no reason to be. If Bella was offered a Cum Shot, while some dude gave her fuck me eyes, I would have felt the same way.

Our drinks arrived shortly after that with no Gianna in sight and I was thankful since I wasn't sure what Bella would say to her next. As soon as the tumbler was placed in front of Bella, she took a long gulp sucking down most of her cocktail.

I placed my hand on her back and started to rub small circles before I leaned in so she could hear me.

"You okay, babe?" I asked, puzzled if there was more to it than the waitress bothering her.

She nodded her head as she responded, "Yeah, I am. I'm just… I'm just a little worked up tonight."

I dropped the subject when an encouraging smile appeared on her face which then allowed us to join in on the conversation with the rest of the group. I liked my brother's friends, they all seemed to be as full of life as he was and were extremely welcoming to both Bella and I. Even Masen gave us a polite wave as he walked in holding hands with a tall blonde.

When Jasper and Alice arrived, they took the closest seats to us. The girls because lost in their conversation and shared lots of laughs an I was thrilled to see that whatever was bothering Bella had seemed to disappear. I'm sure the constant flow of drinks that made their way to our table, courtesy of Jasper, helped lighten her mood. No matter what her reason was, I loved to see Bella happy.

Jasper and I ended up in an easy conversation as we discussed sports, cars and movies. I shared some stories about Alice from our teenage years that he had not heard yet. I was looking forward to getting to know him better because I could see us becoming friends.

"Okay, enough of this new found bro-mance," Bella slurred a little as she motioned her hand between Jasper and I. "I've already had one person try to take my man tonight, I'm not gonna let it happen again."

We laughed while Alice egged her on with catcalls.

Bella leaned in and pulled my shirt with both hands until we were face to face, inches apart from one another.

"Let's dance, baby." She slipped her tongue out and brushed it against my lips then pulled away and laughed. Before I could respond, she stood up and walked to the dance floor without looking back.

I thought jealous Bella was hot, but she had nothing on feisty Bella.

By the time I caught up to her she had made it to the middle of the dance floor. Just as I reached her side, the song changed and the crowd got excited as _Pitbull_ filled the air. The base started to thump causing the floor to slightly shake. Fellow dancers started to sing the words and moved their bodies according to the tempo.

Bella started to sway her hips and picked up her movements as the rhythm increased. Her arms leisurely made their way up into her hair as it moved with the direction her head rocked. She bit her lip and deliberately released it slowly before she signaled me over with her finger.

Fuck me, the woman was hot as hell _and_ wanted me.

I didn't think twice when walking up and sliding my hands along her hips. I grabbed them hastily then bent down to place a kiss on her lips like the one that taunted me moments ago. It started out innocent but we both got lost in the sensations. Before I knew it we were full blown making out; teeth scraping, tongues pushing and pulling while soft moans surrounded us.

I groaned and pulled away.

"Bizzy, you're fucking killing me here." I said through gritted teeth.

"Really? How so, Dr. Cullen?" She purred and ran her hand down my chest.

Without answering her or breaking the pace our bodies set, I grabbed Bella's hand and spun her around to face away from me. As soon as her body adjusted and started to move with the rhythm again, I wrapped one arm around her waist and pulled her flush against my body.

I bent down to give her earlobe a small nibble before I whispered, "I think you know exactly how you're killing me, baby." With that, I pushed my hips into her ass and moved in a circular motion so she would feel my rock hard cock.

Bella responded immediately by rocking back into my body. She was relentless. No matter how much I tried to put some distance between us, she had other plans for me and continued to grind her ass back into me.

She wrapped one of her arms around my neck, and then laced her fingers with mine on the hand that rested against her hip. The feeling of her body wrapped around me felt fucking fantastic, like it's where she always belonged.

We were connected in almost every possible way the moment allowed while letting the music take us away. It moved us however our bodies desired, yet we stayed attached at all times.

Our energy was palpable, it surrounded us and made it well know to whoever looked on that we belonged together.

The song came to an end and our movements slowed down.

From the corner of my eye I noticed a group of people walked in from the backdoor. I remembered the outside facilities the bar had.

"I think I need some air, come outside with me," I said and grabbed her hand while I led her to the door.

We ended up huddled together outside on a bench that rested against the wooden fence. People came and went, after awhile we noticed we were the only two remaining.

The air was chilly but it wasn't raining, I nestled Bella onto my lap and we held each other close sharing the heat from our bodies.

We talked some and shared laughs over random topics, but we mostly kissed.

Without any warning, Bella jumped out of my lap with a smirk on her face.

"I have the best idea," she declared.

I raised my eyebrows while I wondered what she was talking about. I didn't need to ask because she gave me a sweet, yet sneaky smile and continued without being prompted.

"I think we need a rematch from our bet a couple weeks ago. You beat me at bowling, since you are almost a pro and all."

I laughed at her comment, if she only knew how much effort I put into winning that bet.

"So, I think it would only be fair if I was given the opportunity to prove myself," she said and pointed toward the hoop that stood not too far from where we were.

"You want to play basketball?" I asked, she nodded her head so I added, "Do you even know how to play?"

She huffed, put her hands on her hips then tilted her head before she answered. "You throw the damn ball into the stupid hole, it's not that hard, Edward."

"Okay then. I get it, the WNBA doesn't know what they're missing without you," I said as I stood up and shrugged while I fought off a laugh the whole time. Her aggressive behavior was hilarious.

"Drop the small talk. Are you game or not, Cullen?" She challenged me.

"Oh, baby, that's not even a question. I'm always game when it comes to you. The question is what are we playing for?"

She started to tap her chin and remained quiet. I could tell she was buzzed and I was curious what she would come up with in her state of mind.

"Mmm. I'm thinking we play H-O-R-S-E. Winner gets a wish."

"A wish? Like I wish for you to wash my car, in a white bikini every weekend for the entire summer?" I responded as I tried to keep my hopes and my cock down.

She rolled her eyes before she answered me. "That's _so_ high school, but whatever, if that's what your wish is then I'm sure that could be granted. Considering you live in a condo, I bet all the valet boys and the doormen would love to see that."

Fuck that, I needed to think out that wish thing better.

I walked over and wrapped her up in my arms. I wanted to feel her close to me again. I also wanted to dazzle her before we started our game, hoping it would give me the advantage to help me win.

"And what's _your_ wish, Bizzy? I'll wash your car shirtless and with only shorts on if you want," I teased.

I wanted her to visualize what I suggested, hoping she would find it appealing. I could tell she thought over my words when she shivered a little and stepped up onto her tippy toes to place a sloppy kiss on my lips.

"That's an amazing thought, but I can't wait until summer to have my wish come true. I want something now, but I'll tell you after I win."

"You can't do that; we need to put it out on the table now."

"Do you not trust me, Edward? Would you not do anything for me?" She circled my nipple with her index finger as she questioned me.

Damn woman… always knew how to make me cave, and with the alcohol making her more aggressive, it was a combination that was hard to resist.

"Fine, wishes must be stated as soon as the winner is declared," I responded. She was right, my love struck ass would do anything she asked of me so it didn't really matter what she wished for.

She grinned, then walked towards the rack and grabbed the basketball.

I let her go first, but I missed one after a few baskets later, which put me at _H_ and it motivated her work harder to win. My girl must have a good wish.

All of a sudden a thought occured to me. _I should let her win_.

Why would I not? Based on her flirty we had exchanged during the game, I could see where her head was at. It would be a win for me too, I could tell.

My game plan changed after that. She started to stumble and got herself on the board up to _R_. At that point, I purposely started to miss baskets. Bella called me out on the first two which put me equal to her. After that she didn't say anything about my horrible attempts to cover up what I was doing. I wasn't sure if she hadn't noticed or Bella simply did not care, but whatever it was, the urge to win must have clouded her vision.

As soon as I missed the last shot, giving me the letter _E_, Bella started to jump and down then strolled her way over to where I was standing.

She forcefully pulled me in her body like she did earlier that night, before she looked up at me with mischief blazing in her eyes.

"Wanna hear my wish, Edward?" She asked in a sultry voice.

I nodded my head to respond while I became full of anticipation.

"My wish is to have you all to myself tonight, all night long. I want to sleep in your bed, surrounded by your amazing arms. In the morning, I want to be awakened by your kisses. What do you think, Edward? Can you make my wish come true?"

Thank you, God, for making me a smart enough man to let her win. Her wish was way better than anything I would have came up with.

**~~ E & B ~~**

_**Bella**_

"Earth calling Edward… Come in, Edward."

I had a great night with him, but I didn't want it to end. I was being a little bit more outgoing with my attempts to move things forward with him because I was tired of us holding ourselves back.

Let's keep it real. It had been a long time for me since I'd been with a man. I wasn't the kind of woman to sleep with every Tom, Dick and Harry out there. I had a few boyfriends since Jake passed away but being around Edward all the time, made me crave him even more.

I knew the way I reacted to the waitress was over-the-top. She was doing her job and trying to make some money. But hey, I can't fault the girl for using what she had. I should not have reacted that way, but shit, I'm sexually frustrated and she was stepping on my territory! Edward is mine and I refuse to let him go again.

Okay, so maybe all the alcohol had turned me into an irrational, possessive bitch. Sue me.

"Edward!" I shouted to get his attention. "It's alright to say no if you don't want to spend the night with me, okay?" Damn, I can tell I'd had a few too many drinks. My reactions were all over the place.

He held me tighter and squeezed his arms around my waist, pulling me closely to him.

"Isabella, I'd be honored to have you share my bed tonight."

He bent down to kiss me with every ounce of passion he had. I rubbed my hands along his chest and over his shoulders, then into his hair to hold him close. I could taste the remnants of the beer he had been drinking.

I felt Edward's right hand traveling down my back and slid into the pocket of my jeans, giving a small squeeze.

"Can we go?" I begged against his lips.

I felt him laugh. "Not yet. I have to give Emmett his present first, but I need a minute before I can walk back in there with some sort of my dignity intact. You have a powerful affect on me."

I giggled. "Ditto, babe."

After we played basketball for another ten minutes, we walked back into the bar area with our arms wrapped around each other. I spotted our friends and headed over while Edward ran to the restroom. I ordered us another drink from a passing waitress; clearly we would have to grab cab.

"Well, don't you just look like you've been having a good time," Masen said playfully.

"Oh, hi," I answered intelligently.

"So, you and Cullen, huh?"

"Yeah," I slurred with a silly grin.

"I'm happy for you, Bella," he said sincerely.

"Thanks. Who's your date?" I asked to be polite, although my mind was having difficulty keeping up, thanks to the last shot from a few moments earlier.

"Her name's Chelsea and we met at the gym last week."

"She seems nice."

As I spoke, I caught Chelsea's eyes as she watched us talk from across the bar. Masen noticed where my eyes drifted and a small smile appeared on his face before he replied.

"Yeah she is. Well, it was nice talking to you again. Enjoy the rest of your evening."

"I will, you too." I watched him walk away and couldn't find an ounce of regret in not dating him.

As I sat on my barstool, I couldn't help but smile with the turns my life had taken. Edward and I had reconnected, but still had a lot of work to do. We had been satisfied in our individual lives, but I was looking forward to growing together and to reach our potential.

It was true what they said, _you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone_. But what you never hear about is how great it was when it comes back to you. Edward may not have had the intention of returning to me, but did that matter? In my mind, no, but I didn't care about the why, how or when, just that he was here again.

"Hey, beautiful, what's got you smiling again?" A smooth voice whispered in my ear and caused a shiver to run through my body.

I slowly turned around on my barstool and started to wobble. Edward put his hands on my knees and slid them along my thighs and hips, eventually finding their way into my hair. He pulled me into a kiss that lit my body on fire.

It could have been the heat from our kiss, or just the affects of the alcohol, that caused me to forget we were in a crowded bar. My hands seemed to act of their own as they moved to his ass and into his pockets; I used them to pull him between my legs. They didn't stay there long, once I had him where I wanted him; I began to tug his shirt up to remove it.

"Oh God, we can't… not here," Edward pleaded as he brought his hands back down my body, grazing my breasts. He wrapped his hands around my wrists to stop them from undressing him and leaned his forehead against mine.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, closing my eyes and feeling embarrassed.

"I'm not, just not here, not now." There was desperation in his tone.

I opened my eyes to find his looking between mine. He must have found what he needed because once again, I found my lips moving against his. That time I had to pull away from him.

"Hey you two, let's keep it PG-13." Jasper walked past us laughing and shaking his head.

"Jasper, leave them alone." Alice called out from behind the bar, reaching for Jasper's hand as he joined her. "I happen to think they deserve a chance to let loose and have some fun."

"That's fine, Allie, but Edward isn't allowed to let_ it_ loose right now and I think that's what Bella was hoping for."

Emmett laughed from the opposite end of the bar. "It's okay, kid, we don't mind watching."

Rose smacked him on the shoulder and then kissed where she caused him pain. He grabbed and kissed her with a ferocity echoing ours from a few minutes earlier. They broke apart, and as she started to walk away, Emmett smacked her on the ass and said he'd kiss it later.

I giggled. The Cullen brothers would never change.

"I need a minute to give Emmett his gift and then we can head out. I already called us a cab." He kissed me lightly on my neck and then whispered in my ear, "Do you need anything?"

I nodded my head and looked him in the eye. "You."

He laughed and let go of my wrists. "I'll be right back." With one last kiss, he walked over to Emmett.

I waited while Edward spoke to Emmett and we waited outside for our cab to arrive a few moments later. The cab ride seemed to take forever. We stopped and said hi to Marcus as we passed the security desk and headed to the elevators with another couple.

Entering his condo, I set my purse down on kitchen counter.

"Would you like something to drink?" Edward asked with playful eyes.

"What do you have?" I questioned as I walked over to the refrigerator.

"Well, there's milk, water, some juice boxes…" he laughed and continued, "some Bud Light or there's some wine left over from when my parents ate dinner here last week with Makenna. That's about it."

"Wine sounds great," I mumbled while I stretched up to kiss him. "I love being able to do that again. I've missed kissing you."

I smiled while he wrapped his arms around me and agreed that he missed kissing me too as his lips captured mine. We stood like that for a few minutes while the refrigerator door hung open and our drinks were forgotten. The world disappeared around us.

Our kisses slowed, we took our drinks and sat on the couch. I saw his eyes dart down to my chest.

"You look cold. Do you need a sweatshirt or a blanket?" He asked innocently.

"Nope, I'm good. If I get too cold, I have you," I teased him.

Edward looked around his place awkwardly.

"Um, do you want to watch a movie or something? I didn't expect company so I'm not really prepared to woo you."

"But you don't have to woo me, Edward. I really don't mind if we just sit around talking and play cards or something. I just wanted to hang out with you alone."

He agreed then took a sip of his beer. Since I was already felt tipsy and because I wanted his attention, I took a sip out of my wine bottle too.

"Sexy girl, what are you doing?" He laughed.

"What?" I played coy.

"You know what. Come here."

I took another long drink of my wine and licked the rim of the bottle to tease him. When I looked up at Edward, he looked like a lion preparing to pounce as he watched a drop of wine run down my chin.

Next thing I knew, I was on my back on the floor with kisses being trailed from my chin to my jaw line. Edward used his nose to push my head to the side so he could gain more access to my neck. I was in a lust induced trance between the couch and the coffee table.

He lightly sucked the skin on my collarbone and brought his hand along my inner thighs. I didn't care that I sounded needy and desperate because that's exactly what I was. It had been years since I'd felt that way.

"Edward, please," I begged.

"Please what? Isabella… tell me what you need." He stopped kissing me and looked back and forth between eyes and chest.

I didn't answer and pulled him back down on top of me. I was a little uncomfortable lying on the hard floor, but after I managed to move my legs apart, allowing him to settle between them, I forgot about my discomfort immediately.

My hands moved to his ass, which happened to be one of my favorite parts about his body, and encouraged him to move. I loved how it felt to have his weight on me while his body tried to become connected to mine. If it wasn't for our clothing, I'm certain we would have been reunited in every possible way.

"Bella, let's get up on the couch. You can't be comfortable and the wood floors are killing my knees."

He moved to stand up, and then reached down to pull up me with him. As he settled himself back down on the couch, I stopped to take another drink of wine.

"Woman, you're going to be the death of me, aren't you?" Edward asked while he reached for another beer.

"Why, Knight Edward, I don't know what you're talking about?" I slurred.

"Well, my queen, I'm calling bullshit on you. I believe you know exactly what you're doing, but you know what? I'm enjoying it, so carry on." He gestured to my drink. I smiled, tipped the bottle back, and allowed a few drops to fall.

He groaned. "You really are trying to tempt me, aren't you?" He asked while he leaned over to pull me onto his lap. I could feel his erection under me.

I wiggled against him as I said, "Yes, I am."

Feeling a little bolder after hearing the noises he made, I bought my shirt up over my head and threw it backwards, not giving a shit where it landed. I turned my body and straddled his lap.

His kisses moved down towards by breasts while his hands moved up to them.

"You're beautiful." He mumbled as his mouth reached the edge of my black laced bra.

I reached down and started to tug on his shirt while I grinded our centers together.

I giggled as Edward refused to let go of my breasts long enough to pull the shirt over his head.

"Not fair, Dr. Cullen. You need to help me."

"No, don't wanna. I'm happy right here." He thrusted his hips up towards mine.

"But I want to feel you too. Please, baby." I made a pouty face, rocked my hips against him, and enjoyed the friction we made.

He saw my bottom lip and suddenly I felt him bite it.

"Ouch! What'd you do that for?"

"Because I wanted to." He struggled to pull his shirt off and I helped him along.

I'd seen some beautiful things in my lifetime, but nothing compared to the sight of Edward Cullen without a shirt; my memories of him failed me.

I leaned down to kiss his chest and since he bit me, it was only fair to reciprocate, so I sucked his nipple into my mouth and latched on with my teeth and bit him back. He moaned.

He pulled my mouth to his and we started making out again. Our hands were everywhere.

Edward's thumbs were making circles around my nipples and gently pulled at them, while my fingers slipped into the top of his jeans and rubbed along his happy trail. I unbuttoned them and slowly pulled the zipper down. I made sure that he felt the pressure of my movements and he thrust up into me again causing a moan to slip out.

"Shit. Do that again."

His thrusts became steadier and had more purpose.

My legs started to become sore from the pressure of my jeans, so I pulled from him away and stood up while Edward followed along with me like we were magnets.

"Where are you going?" He questioned softly.

"Just trying to get more comfortable." I slipped off my shoes and started to remove my pants. "You can get cozy too, Edward. It's not like I haven't seen you naked before." My eyes drifted down to his opened jeans.

When I threw my clothes behind me, I stood before him in my black lace bra and panty set.

His mouth popped open in a daze. "Damn, Bella, you're so fucking sexy." He sat back down and pulled me on him.

Our whispers, grunts and kisses, along with the rocking of our hips, were heaven.

My fingers dipped down into the top of his white boxers and grazed the tip of his dick.

Edward moaned and pulled me down onto him with more force.

"That feels so good."

"Mmhmm." He mumbled against my mouth.

I picked up my speed and forcefully rocked against him. My hands were unstoppable; one in his hair holding him to me, and the other was teasing his nipples.

"Bella… if we keep this up… I'm gonna cum."

"Me too." I panted. "Don't stop, Edward."

He looked up at me and I could see him questioning if I was all right.

I held his gaze and nodded. My mouth crashed back to his and I felt my body start to flush and tingle from my impending orgasm.

Edward pulled down the material from around my breast and circled his tongue around my nipple, then sucked it in. That was all I needed to reach my peak and took him along with me.

We continued to kiss and touch while our hips slowed.

I looked down at him and smiled. His hair was tousled and stood up in multiple directions from me tugging on it. His lips were plump and slightly discolored from our intense kisses and his eyes remained hooded. He looked sexy as hell.

"Let's go get cleaned up and put a movie in." He smiled back at me and motioned for us to get up.

We settled in after changing. I didn't want to wear my top any longer, so I borrowed a blue button down shirt from Edward's closet and a pair of his boxers, rolled at the waist to make them stay up.

I couldn't remember which movie we had decided to watch, but I do remember Edward wrapped us up in a blanket and spooned me from behind. I loved the way it felt to have him wrapped around me while his fingers caressed up and down my thigh under the blanket.

We fell asleep holding each other. My wish had come true.

**A/N: We know you bunch of pervs, that we didn't let them have sex, but at least we gave them a little genital satisfaction, right? The UST is going to kill us too… well, not really, because we've already written their first lemon. **_*evil chuckle*_** It's been LZTZ and tanglingshadows approved! Too bad it's not the chapter we're posting next week, huh? **_*runs away laughing while screaming which chapter has their first lemon*_

The song they danced to at the bar: I Know You Want Me by Pitbull

**Thanks for reading. If you have the time, please review and we'll send you a teaser of the next chapter**


	13. It's All Coming Back to Me Now

**Thank you to our beta LZTZ, and prereader tanglingshadows, for their help and support.**

**Disclaimer: We don't own Twilight, but it owns us.**

**Chapter 13 – It's All Coming Back to Me Now**

_**Bella**_

The first two days of the week had been tough at work. The district administrators, teachers, custodians, students and even some of the parents of my students had pushed me to my limit. The pressure put on us by our administrators to raise our standardized testing scores was almost too much to bear at times.

In all honesty there was only so much that could be done during school hours to help a child learn. If the family did not accept some of the responsibility to educate their child then we would never be successful. Some parents viewed school as a free childcare service so clearly, we wouldn't be able to count on them to sit down at night and study with their son or daughter. I guarantee it would be those same parents lighting up my phone or pounding on my door to place the blame of their child's lack of progress on the school. Not every parent and student felt that way, but there were days when I wondered why they were the minority.

I was a little disappointed that I couldn't sit around and daydream about Edward. I hoped my day would be better than sitting in my office, facing the pressures that were put on me by my bosses.

It had been three days since I had woken up in Edward's arms and I craved his touch so much. Throughout the years we had been apart, I thought of him often. When we weren't together I missed him like crazy, but it made me appreciate our time so much more. We had _both_ missed each other during those years. Having had the experience of missing him _then_ made me explore our current relationship and the feelings I had developed for him.

I knew before that I loved him with all my heart, but somehow being away from him during those years made me appreciate his presence in my life more than ever before. I found myself falling even more in love with him and I knew we were good for each other, unlike our previous attempts. When he kissed me or held me in his arms, I felt our connection growing stronger each and every time. Absence truly did make the heart grow fonder and I loved making up for our lost time.

_I loved knowing that we were becoming a family._

"Mrs. Black?" I heard Mrs. Garrett say as she knocked on my door.

"Come in." I glanced down at my watch and sighed as I noticed it was only ten-thirty. I had hours left until I would see Edward and the girls again. How depressing.

"I'm so sorry to interrupt you, but Bree Young is here and is asking to speak with you. She has Study Hall this period so she said to tell you that she is not missing any class time." She laughed.

That made me smile; I knew exactly what Bree wanted to talk about. It was the same issue with her over and over again. Mrs. Jayne, our Latin teacher, tended to be very strict and many of the kids thought she was out to get them.

"Send her in, please." I saved the document I had been typing before I got sidetracked with thoughts of Edward and sat back in my chair waiting for Bree. I couldn't wait to hear her complaint; she tended to have a wild imagination.

She was one of my favorite students. My colleagues had always said that we did not have favorites, but that wasn't true. Had could I not?

I heard the knock on the door and looked up to see Bree. I asked her to take a seat in one of the two chairs that sat across from my desk.

"Hi, Bree. How are you today?" I greeted her with a genuine smile.

"I was good until _she_ started picking on me again, Mrs. Black. Why doesn't she like me?"

I felt bad for her because in all honestly she was a sweet girl, but she was also a teenager and could be a little over dramatic at times.

"First of all, who is picking on you? I just need to make sure we're talking about the same person."

"Mrs. Jayne," she sighed dramatically.

"All right, now what do you feel she's done to make you think that she doesn't like you?" That was the million dollar question. To be honest, Mrs. Jayne should've retired years ago and could be a little harsh with the students, but no one taught Latin better than her. However, if a student wasn't comfortable with their teacher, then the chances were that they would not learn to their potential. She was one year away from retiring and it would make my day much easier when she was gone.

"Okay… so, like, she was just staring at me again. Like, I think she was trying to jinx me or kill me or something. I mean, why does she look at me like she doesn't want me in her class and stuff? Like, she tried to burn me with her eyes, know what I mean?" She huffed and waited for my reply, picking at a hole in her jeans.

I had to fight back a giggle at her explanation.

Bree was a beautiful girl. She had long brown hair that she usually pulled back into to a ponytail and blue eyes that were kind and friendly. Her t-shirt was vintage AC/DC and was a little too tight for my taste, but I would let her get away with it that time. I would, however, remind her not to wear it to school again before she left my office.

"Lilly says she's a witch or something." She added to help her case.

I spoke to Bree for a few minutes and agreed to observe her class the following day.

After lunch, poor Mrs. Garrett had to carry a huge vase full of roses to my office.

"I think I need to have a talk with that boyfriend of yours." She huffed and rolled her shoulders. "Did he have to send you this many roses? Is he trying to break my back?" She complained playfully, I knew she was not really mad.

"Thanks for bringing them in. I could've carried them myself, you stubborn woman. I appreciate your help though." I looked longingly at the flowers.

"It's really no problem. So what did Bree have to say about Mrs. Jayne earlier?" She laughed.

"Oh, just that she thinks her teacher is trying to kill her with her witch eyes. Nothing major." I joked.

"Silly girl, but you know she really isn't the friendliest teacher around?"

I rolled my eyes and said sarcastically, "Really? I was going to nominate her for the PTA's Teacher of the Year award in May."

"Sure you were. Oh, I hear the phone ringing. I better grab it." She left me alone again.

The flowers were a beautiful mixture of red, white, yellow, pink, purple and orange roses. They were in a clear glass vase with a red ribbon.

I read the card and longed to kiss Edward.

_This is how I feel about you._

_Yours always,_

_Edward_

_xoxo_

He was always doing small things to show me how much he cared. I reached over to Google the meaning of the roses.

Upon further research, I smiled. Love and passion, everlasting love, promises of a new beginning, admiration, enchantment and desire were some of the meanings I found. I was absolutely giddy and it made me remember waking up next to him the Sunday before, just as I had wished.

When I woke up my back was sore and my neck felt stiff because I must have slept in a strange position, in his arms, on the couch. I pulled the blanket that was surrounding us down from my arms and realized why I had awoken, even though the sun was barely rising.

Edward was already awake, obviously, as I felt feather light kisses moving along the skin of my neck. I shivered as his breathe brushed along the soft skin below my ear as he whispered, "Good morning, beautiful."

"Mmm, morning, handsome," I whispered back. I loved feeling his body so close to mine, molded together as if we were made for each other. I moved my right leg so it hung over his hip and pulled him closer with the heel of my foot. I could feel his hard dick pressed into my lower back.

"God, woman, you feel so fucking good pressed up against me like this." He translated his words by using his body, grinding against me. I instinctively wiggled my ass to give him more movement.

Edward's lips glided over areas that I'd all but forgotten about. I wanted to pinch myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming. I felt his left arm move underneath my body and pulled my back tighter to his chest, holding me firmly. His hand moved to the hem of my shirt, or rather, _his_ button down shirt that I wore. He inched the material up my stomach to just below my breasts.

His mouth softly sucked on the skin along my collarbone and placed a firm kiss to my shoulder. Pulling away from me, he turned my face toward his and passionately kissed me.

I turned my body to make it easier to reach him. Lying flat on my back, he traced one fingertip from my face, along my jaw line and chin going down and not stopping until he found my nipple. Teasing it lightly for a few seconds, he moved lower so he could tug my shirt higher to have unobstructed access to them

_I was awake in more ways than one._

I reached out with my hand so I could glide it along his chest, across his defined abs and circled his bellybutton. Edward's hips bucked when he realized I was moving in and out of his dimple, unconscientiously mimicking sex. He moaned and trailed his lips down my neck, nipping at my skin along the way.

"Cullen, please," I begged. I just needed him to touch me. I needed more. _I needed him._

Slowly his kisses moved back towards my mouth and he spoke against my lips, "What do you need, Isabella? Tell me, baby."

I couldn't think clearly enough to answer him, "I need…"

He kissed my nose. "I know. I need it too."

The fingers of my hand followed the trail of hairs down and into his pajama pants. I traced the tip of his dick and swirled the moisture around, I felt him shiver in pleasure.

My nipples were hard when he pulled away from them and trailed down my body to the boxers I borrowed the night before. He softly moved his fingers between my legs and I thought I'd found heaven. He wasn't inside of me yet, but just feeling his movements excited me. Desire raced through my body.

"Is this okay?" He whispered.

"Yes."

His fingers dipped inside of the boxers and found their way along my smooth skin. My hips moved up and down, encouraging him to enter me.

Slowly, Edward slid a finger inside of me and set a lazy rhythm. As he pulled out, he added another finger.

I felt so good at that moment and I stroked his dick a little firmer.

"Faster, Bella." He panted.

"Is this good?"

"You can squeeze a little harder too." I tightened my hand and used some of the liquid to my advantage. "Oh yeah, just like that. Lift your hips a little higher so I can pull these off. I want to see you."

I did as he said and not too much longer, we both found our release.

We stopped kissing and just breathed, sharing the air between us. Edward and I stayed wrapped together, hands slowly rediscovering each other's bodies for what seemed like hours. Our connection was just as strong emotionally as it was physically.

Later that morning we found the time to discuss some issues that we needed to get out of the way. Edward said had recently been tested for STDs and his results were clean. I knew I should be tested to be responsible since it had been a few years.

Since my Grandma Swan had breast cancer when I was a child, my doctor and I decided not to take a chance with hormonal birth control methods. Other women were comfortable with taking the small risk, but I made a decision not to ever take a chance. I reminded Edward of my situation and we agreed that he would use condoms when the time came.

While Edward was in the shower, I decided to make us breakfast. I had a small headache from drinking so much the night before and popped a few Advil.

I was still wearing his button-down shirt and boxers. He strolled into the kitchen wearing loose fitted dark jeans. The top of his red boxers was visible and his jeans hung low on his hips. His feet were as bare as his chest.

_God he was beautiful._

I watched him reach up to wipe away a drop of water that fell from his wet hair onto his chest. I licked my lips in response.

"What'cha doing?" He said as he made his way across the kitchen to me.

"Making us some breakfast. I cut up some fruit to go with the pancakes I'm getting ready to start. Sound good?" I leaned forward to place a kiss where the drop of water landed only moments before.

"Sounds delicious, sweetheart. Want some orange juice?"

"Sure. Do you want to grab… Ahh! What are you doing, Cullen?" I laughed.

"I just need a hug. Is that too much to ask from my sexy ass girlfriend?" He placed me on the island in the kitchen and made a sad face.

It took every ounce of my strength not to laugh at him again.

"No, I guess not." I pretended to pout.

He bit my lip and then kissed my pain away before we made breakfast together and enjoyed our morning.

MC and Makenna had both spent the weekend with Billy in La Push after MC begged to bring her best friend along. I must admit that I was nervous leaving my boyfriend's daughter with Jake's father. I knew he would care for her as he would his grandchild, that was not the issue, but he didn't know the complete story of Edward and I and he never would. He was stunned to know she was Edward's child, but the shock wore off quickly when he saw how much the girls cared for each other.

I had to meet Billy in Port Angeles to pick the girls up alone because later that morning, Edward unfortunately had been called in to work. A fellow doctor had a death in his family and had to fly out to Ohio to help arrange the funeral. He had planned to ride along with me and knew he'd have to face Billy again sooner or later; he was disappointed that it would be later.

The girls chatted my ear off on the drive home. Billy had taken them hiking in the woods on their first day and then hosted a bonfire with some of his close friends later that evening. Makenna loved making S'mores and I was surprised when she said she'd never had one before.

The next day they went fishing on Billy's pond in his row boat. The pond was small, but Billy said they wanted to row out to the center themselves. He was surprised by their determination and said it only took them thirty minutes. Each girl caught a few fish and insisted on setting them free.

I was glad they had a great time in La Push.

I smiled at the memory of our weekend together. I didn't know what would happen at Emmett's birthday party, nor did I expect to win an impromptu game of H-O-R-S-E against Edward and have a wish come true. I sure as hell didn't expect to dry hump him on his couch until we both found some relief. Waking up to Edward really had been a wish come true and I knew I had to make it happen again soon.

As the bell rung, to indicate the change of periods, I was brought out of my thoughts and I pulled out my phone to send Edward a text.

**Thank you SO much for the roses. They are as beautiful to me as you are. xoxo**

I waited for his response and pulled out the sandwich I packed for lunch. The word sandwich made me giggle after my conversation with Bree about her and Lilly thinking Mrs. Jayne was a witch.

My phone beeped with his reply.

_evry word is 2ru ~ Dr. E. Cullen_

**I miss you.**

_u 2 we on 4 2nite ~ Dr. E. Cullen_

**Yes. Thank you again. I can't wait to see you. I hope you're day hasn't been too hard.**

_Ive bn hard lol u do it 2 me ~ Dr. E. Cullen_

**Stop it, Dr. Perv. We can't talk like this at work. I'll see you later, handsome. *wink* **

_bye sexy ~ Dr. E. Cullen_

I giggled and took a bite of my lunch while I thought about my sexy man.

Earlier that week he had invited me and MC to Carlisle's retirement party which was scheduled in a couple of weeks. I was excited to be attending as his girlfriend since it's been a long time since I'd had that title. It was a formal dinner so we were going shopping the next weekend with Esme, Makenna and Rose to find dresses.

The past few weeks had helped me build more trust in Edward that I never thought I would have in him again. He accepted my daughter with no reservations, just as I had with Makenna. We had an attraction to each other that was stronger than I had remembered and I could not imagine being without him again. Slowly, but surely, we were becoming a family and I was more than looking forward to it.

With Edward and our girls by my side, I was happier than ever before.

**~~ E & B ~~**

_**Edward**_

For the first time since I had moved back to Seattle, I had found myself bored with nothing to do on a weekday. Due to all the extra hours I had put in throughout the last week, Dr. Banner had given me the day off. Makenna and MC were at school and Bella was at work, leaving me all alone, moping on the couch and channel surfing. I thought about asking Bella to play hooky with me, but I knew how serious she took her job and didn't want to put her in that position.

My choices of how to spend the day were limited. I had started to make friends with my colleagues, but wouldn't say we were at the point where we would get together outside of work yet. There was no way I would go to my parents' house; my mom had been hounding me for every detail regarding our relationship. It was not that I didn't feel excited about the progress we had made, but I didn't want to share those private details with her.

I decided to kill two birds with one stone and go to the gym. I wanted to start a workout routine again and since my brother was there most days, I figured I could spend some time with him as well. As we had started to rebuild our relationship, I remembered how much I enjoyed being around him.

When I arrived at the gym, I was surprised to see Jasper in the back corner lifting free weights. Before I went to say hello, I asked the receptionist if Emmett was around. She knew who I was from his birthday and told me go ahead and get started; she would let him know I was here.

Jasper was finished with his set by the time I had reached him.

"Hey, Jasper. Working out to keep up with your boys?" I asked as I approached him.

He laughed as he wiped the sweat off of his forehead.

"Actually, it's more like working off the frustrations of spending all day with two hellions. I love them, but man, they know how to make a guy lose his mind some days." He responded.

I understood what he meant. Every parent had days where their children drove them to the brink of insanity. As much as I would love to spend my every waking moment with Makenna, I knew it was best for my well-being that I had a job to go to.

"They can't be that bad, but I bet they gang up on you which only makes it worse. I can hardly keep up with one, let alone two. How did you slip away during the day anyway? Does Allie have the day off?"

He nodded his head.

"You better start working out yourself, Edward. MC can be a handful, so you're on your way to dealing with two kids too." He laughed then responded to my question. "Yeah, Allie is at home this morning. We've been trying to get the boys in to see their doctor but he doesn't have any available appointments."

We spent the next hour working out together and talked about nothing in particular. Emmett joined us and we ended up making plans to have a poker night in the next couple weeks.

"I better get going guys. Allie will have my balls if I leave her by herself with the boys much longer since they're not feeling well."

"What's wrong with them?" I asked, going into doctor mode immediately.

"We aren't sure, but it looks like a rash and it's all over both their bodies. Hopefully Allie convinced the doctor's office that we needed an urgent appointment. We had to switch doctors when I opened the bar because we had new health insurance and since we've never been there before they are hesitant to set an appointment."

"If you need me to, I can come over to check them out. I have nothing else to do until the girls get home from school."

Jasper let out a long breath before responding. "That would be great, man. Thanks, Edward. I'll go call Allie and let her know while you finish up with your last set."

After I finished with my leg presses, we said our goodbyes to Emmett and made our way to the locker room to get cleaned up.

I sent Bella a text to inform her about what was going on and to ask if it would be too much of a hassle if she picked up Makenna for me. Her response came while I was in the shower.

_**Are you for real? Of course it's not a big deal. And also, when do I get to show how real I am… again? *wink***_

I dressed quickly before anyone noticed the way her words had affected me and replied.

_damn bizz ya promise ~ Dr. E. Cullen_

_**I promise. Don't forget to call her school or they won't release her to me.**_

_k ~ Dr. E. Cullen_

My feisty girl was out to play and it was distracting me. Her response to my flowers earlier was what I had hoped for, but I wondered if she noticed I chose roses that represented love? I hope so because I did love her, I always had.

I wanted to continue to send her playful texts and see how far we would take it, but I knew Jasper was waiting on me. I was hopeful she stayed feisty until we saw each other that night. Ever since our night together our texts and phone conversations had changed. I knew I was not the only one that was attempting to take things slow.

Our intense making out and unexpected dry hump the weekend before didn't make it any easier for me; my causal jacking off sessions turned into nightly ones. Thanks to the mental imagines of our time together, and Bella's dirty words from our conversations, I couldn't stop myself. I'm surprised my cock was still attached and not raw.

I sent one last text to say goodbye and explained that having men surrounding me, in a locker room, wasn't the place to have _that_ kind of conversation. I gathered up my things and made my way outside to meet up with Jasper.

When we arrived at their house, Alice greeted us at the door looking tired and thankful to see me.

After I gave the boys an examination, I diagnosed them both with Chicken Pox. Alice and Jasper looked relieved that it was not anything serious. I gave them some over-the-counter treatment options, and then I said my goodbyes.

Bella and I had discussed that we wanted to have a relaxing night in watching movies with the girls. We also planned to sit down with them and talk about the changes in our relationship. We both had conversations with our daughters separately, but it was time for all of us to discuss it as a group. In a way it was our first big conversation as family.

With pizza and some junk food in tow, I made my way to Bella's house. I got a warm welcome from her and the girls, and it made me want it every day. I knew we were a long ways off from living together but the thought of one day walking into _our_ house felt within reach. I wanted it bad.

We sat at the dining room table stuffing our faces with pizza while we shared facts about our days. The girls both told stories about recess and talked about what activities at their school interested them. MC had gym and played wiffleball and Makenna said she got to go to the library and sign out a few new books. Bella and I listened and asked questions, we wanted to be involved as much as possible. It was especially nice to see Makenna adjusting to her new school, and from the sound of it, she had made some new friends as well.

After clearing the table we told the girls to stay put because we wanted to talk to them. They both looked at each other, silently asking one another if they knew what was going on; it looked as if they were siblings already. Emmett and I shared the same silent conversations too many times to count. Normally, ours were trying to convince the other to take the blame for the trouble we were about to get into. I was sure MC and Makenna would be sharing those looks before long.

Bella and I exchanged a small smile while I grabbed a hold of her hand, cleared my throat and looked at our girls.

"We wanted to talk to you both about some changes that are happening for all of us," I started out and was met with two sets of curious eyes.

"Bella and I wanted you to know that we're boyfriend and girlfriend which means we'll be spending time with each other. Of course we will be spending a lot of time with you girls but sometimes we may go and do things for just the two of us."

Both girls had bright smiles on their faces which let me know they were okay with the step we were taking.

Bella squeezed my hand slightly and jumped in.

"We care and love you both so much and we want you to be comfortable with us being together. Are you girls okay with that?" She asked tentatively.

"Yes," they said in unison.

"With us being together, that means you will see us hug, kiss and things like that," Bella said nervously.

"Makenna wants to kiss Justin Bieber," MC teased.

"Nuh uh, I didn't say that! MC wants to kiss Seth from her class." Makenna shot back.

"You both are too young to be kissing boys!" I stated quickly which got me an eye roll from Bella.

"What? They are," I declared.

Bella laughed at my outburst while the girls just watched our exchange.

"Edward is right, you girls are too young to kiss or do anything else with boys and we'll be having a discussion about all of that someday, okay?"

That earned a nod and an _Amen _from me! Bella laughed.

"So… are you guys getting married?" Makenna spoke up and changed the subject for us.

Her smile was beaming and her eyes were so hopeful that I actually felt I would be letting her down by answering the question honestly.

"No, Kenni Bear we aren't." I answered then looked at Bella before I continued, "But I can't say that won't happen in the future."

Bella winked at me understanding my declaration.

As much as I want the girls involved in every aspect of our relationship, when I asked Bella to marry me or when we even discussed the topic, it will be a private moment between the two of us.

"Okay girls, enough of the heavy talk for now. You both know you can ask us any question you may have or let us know if you're uncomfortable. Why don't you two go get the living room set up while we make some popcorn and then we can get the movie started?" Bella asked with a calm voice.

After the girls left the room we shared our thoughts on how they took our news. It seemed they were fine based off of Makenna's question about marriage.

We settled in to watch a movie. The girls were sprawled out on the floor while Bella and I snuggled close together on her loveseat. I tried to stay interested in the movie but it was hard to concentrate with her so close to me.

It brought me back to all those times in high school when we went to the movies with our friends and I wanted to do nothing but make out with my girlfriend in the darkened theater. With two little girls in the room, it wasn't going to happen, so I settled for holding her close and playing with the ends of her hair.

Before long we heard soft snores coming from the girls.

"They must have been just as bored with this movie as I was."

"It wasn't that bad," Bella replied before she started laughing. "Okay, it sucked."

"I hate to say it, but we better get going," I said, disappointed our night was over so soon.

I started to rise from the couch but before I had pushed all the way up, Bella put her hand on my leg to stop me.

"Don't go, Edward. I haven't seen you enough today. Why don't you guys spend the night?"

I tilted my head slightly and looked down at her. I was thrown off by her request.

"Are you sure? I don't want to push any boundaries."

"Of course I'm sure. I wouldn't have asked if I wasn't. Besides, you don't have to sleep in my bed; we have a pretty comfy couch." She smiled sheepishly at me.

I wasn't sure if she was worried that I wouldn't want to stay or if she was concerned I was upset about sleeping on the couch.

"The couch will be perfect. Why don't we put the girls in MC's bed because I'm not sure I can handle all this snoring while I'm trying to sleep." I joked, wanting to lighten the mood.

We each picked up our daughters and made our way to MC's room. After we got them situated, we closed the door but didn't make an effort to move. Our mouths slowly came together which kept us in place.

"Bella, this isn't making me want to return to the couch." I grabbed her ass and she giggled. "Why don't we get you all tucked in now?"

I hated to pull away from her but the more we kissed the more I wanted to do and I was trying so hard to do the right thing.

Bella went into her bathroom to change while I sat on her bed and took in the sight of her bedroom.

When she emerged she took my breath away.

She had on a thin, strappy tank top that not only was it clear she wasn't wearing a bra, but it showed the perfect amount of cleavage. I wanted to follow the v-neck line and dip my fingers in between her perfect breasts. The matching light blue sleep pants hung low on her hips and allowed her belly button to peak out when she moved. Her long hair was down from the ponytail she had it in earlier, allowing it to cascade over her shoulders and down her back. As always, she looked beautiful.

"Come here, beautiful, and get in bed so I can tuck you in."

I was about to lay down on top of the comforter, but she pushed back the covers and patted the space next to her.

"I want to feel you as close as possible and why don't you lose the pants, you'll be more comfortable?"

"I don't think that's a sight the girls will want to see in the morning." I chuckled. Makenna may have caught me in my boxers a time or two, but I doubt MC would be comfortable.

She turned onto her side to face me and sighed.

"I hate that you have to sleep on the couch. You know I'd rather have you sleep with me, right?"

"Of course, Bella, but I know that we have to put our daughters before us and I'm okay with that. We'll have plenty of time to sleep together in the future."

I pulled her close to me and wrapped my arms around her waist; we lost ourselves in a soft kiss. I loved the way her lips felt against mine and the way that she sucked my bottom lip into her mouth.

Without breaking our kiss, I rolled us over so I was hovered above her. Her hands made their way down my back and under my shirt. I cradled her head in the palm of my hands to deepen our kiss and she rewarded me with a soft moan.

Our bodies naturally started to grind against one another and the friction was fucking fantastic. It was the moment when I lost all will power to take things slow. I couldn't help it; I was surrounded by Bella's sweet scent and felt the heat radiating from her body. It took me over the edge and I needed more.

My hand slowly traveled downward, brushing against her nipple. When I felt it pebble by my touch, I switched my weight to my other arm and kneaded her other breast to give it equal attention. I took her nipple in between my fingers and gave it a light pinch causing her to groan.

I leaned down and lightly traced her lips with my tongue. Bella grabbed my head forcefully as her hot mouth opened and her tongue darted out licking my lips. Her hands rubbed down my chest until they found the waistband of my jeans and as her hand started to dip underneath my boxers I pulled away.

"Let me make tonight about you, Bizzy. Please?" I begged, wanting nothing more than to appreciate the goddess that lay beneath me.

Even though she let out a frustrated huff she nodded her head in agreement.

I started leaving open mouth kisses on Bella's neck, shoulders and covered nipples along the way. When I reached the hemline of her shirt, I pushed it up to expose her stomach. I swirled my tongue in her bellybutton while I looked up to catch her eyes. They were hooded and she had the corner of her lip tucked in her mouth.

I placed a small kiss on her exposed hip and tugged on the drawstring of her pants. Bella lifted up allowing me to pull them down, taking her panties along with them. We worked together to get them off quickly.

I started at her ankle and kissed my way along her leg until I reached where I wanted to be the most. She was clearly ready for me, as I could see moisture there already. I swiped a finger downward and Bella let out a throaty moan.

"Does that feel good, baby?" I teased.

All I got was an _mmm _sound from her_. _I didn't expect an answer; I already knew it was yes.

"You like that, huh?" I stated with confidence as I repeated my actions.

"More. Please. Now." Bella said through gritted teeth.

I spread her legs further apart and lowered myself until I was I was face to face with her heated center.

My tongue darted out and I licked my way up until I reached her clit, where I took it into my mouth and gave a light suck.

Bella's hips rose off the bed and I could see her head start to turn from side to side. Her moans got louder as my sucking increased.

"Shhh, Bizzy. You've got to stay quiet or we'll have to stop."

"Oh fuck, okay. Don't stop." She gasped and I went back to the task at hand which was wanting to make her cum.

I pumped two fingers in and out of her while my tongue found a rhythm that she seemed pleased with.

I was aching for my own release. The movements of my hands and face rocking into her wasn't helping and I wanted nothing more than to move my hips and get some of my own friction but I didn't. Like I said, I planned to make it all about her pleasure. Seeing her get off by my touch would be enough, so I stayed strong and kept my hips still.

Before long, Bella's cries became louder and she reached for a pillow to cover her face but I could still hear her groans. I sucked, flicked and pushed against her earning moans and pants, encouraging me to continue at the same pace.

She removed the pillow long enough to tell me she was close and begged me to make her cum. _As if I would stop._

Her back arched off the bed as she reached her release. My movements slowed as I rode her through her orgasm.

I heard her take a deep breath as her body relaxed. I gave her one last kiss and crawled my way back to the top of the bed to lay next to her.

"That was just what I needed," Bella said through shallow breaths with her eyes still closed.

She rolled to her side and her hand immediately went to my belt buckle. Before she got any further, I placed my hand on top of hers. She gave me a confused look as to why I was stopping her.

I kissed her on the forehead, pulled her body close to me and shook my head.

"I told you, it's all about you tonight. I would love nothing more than to continue this but if we go any further, I won't be able to stop, sweetheart. I don't want to rush or worry about little ears hearing us. I know it will be worth the wait."

She tilted her head up and moved in for another kiss, but it was slow and controlled.

"That's not helping the situation, Isabella," I said sternly.

"Fine, I'll stop." She let out a frustrated huff. "Why don't you set your phone alarm for a few hours from now and then you can move to couch? I was spoiled sleeping in your arms last weekend and I want to again, even if it's for only a little while."

I wouldn't deny her anything especially that, as it was something I wanted as well. As I set my alarm, she went to the bathroom to get cleaned up. When she returned she laid down against my body. I snaked my hand between us and rubbed small circles on her back until I heard her shallow breaths.

As my eyes closed, I vowed to myself that not only would I would make it possible to come home to a house we could all call our own, but I would sleep next to my beautiful Bella every night for the rest of our lives.

It was dream I planned to make come true as soon as possible.

**A/N: On a hot, summer day it's nice to get a little lemonade, right? Pictures have been added to PhotoBucket.**

**Thanks for reading. If you have the time, please review and we'll send you a teaser of the next chapter. **


	14. Photograph

**Thank you to our beta LZTZ, and prereader tanglingshadows, for their help and support.**

**Disclaimer: We don't own Twilight, but it owns us.**

**Chapter 14 - Photograph**

_**Bella**_

His hands ghosted along my rib cage and cupped my breasts, pinching my nipples. My back flexed to bring my body closer to him. Our warm, sweaty bodies glided against each other in a passionate kiss.

I kissed the side of his neck and sucked until I left my mark on him.

"Hell yeah, baby, do that again," he begged. I licked his sweaty skin, sucked it into my mouth, gently biting down.

He moaned and pushed into me harder, hitting that last undiscovered spot of our night together. The bed bounced with the thrusts from his hips grinding against mine.

I felt my body lose all control and waited for my orgasm to overtake me. _Again. _It had been like that all night, connected together as one.

"I love you, Edward," I spoke quietly against his shoulder, leaving a kiss behind.

He moved his hands up from my breasts to my face, lifted my chin and made me look into his dark green eyes, captivating me. I never wanted to look away from him. He was all I saw.

With one last thrust deep inside me, he came. My eyes closed as I relished the feel of us being connected as one.

"Oh, Bella, I love you too." His next kiss was firm and demanding.

The bed was rocking, but it was no longer a good feeling. I tried to make Edward shift to the other side to stop his movements, however he held on tighter.

"Edward," I whispered to get his attention.

"Momma."

I pulled the blankets around us in a panic to cover our naked bodies.

"Mom!" My daughter yelled and I opened my eyes quickly, looking around my room frantically to make sure she did not see anything she shouldn't.

"Baby girl, what's wrong?" I looked down and noticed I was still wearing my pajamas.

_Damn it, it was only a dream._

"You were having a bad dream," MC said as she climbed in bed with me.

_No, sweetie, mommy was just having a sex dream, _I thought_. And you woke me up too soon_, I added_._

I turned over to look at the clock and saw that it was only six in the morning. We still had two hours left before we had to start our day.

"No, sweetie, it was a good dream. Let's just go back to sleep."

I patted the spot closest to me and she rested her head in the crook of my elbow.

As we began to fall back to sleep together, I wished it wasn't a dream, but reality. I held her hand in mine and drifted off peacefully.

Three hours later we were cleaning up from breakfast. We enjoyed making waffles together, MC loved to bake and I just loved spending time with her.

We arrived at the boutique a few minutes early. MC was a ball of excited energy. Although she was holding my hand, I could see her eyes bouncing around the store trying to find the kids area. She wasn't necessarily happy to wear a dress, but she did ask me more than once what color was Edward's favorite. She loved him and wanted to make him happy and I went on to explain to her that he would love any dress she picked out.

"MC, we're here," Makenna said, laughing as she ran toward where we stood.

"Hi, Kenni Bear," she responded, giggling with her friend.

"Good morning, sweetie." I pulled Makenna into a hug and we swayed back and forth together. I missed having her in my presence as she was a breath of fresh air.

"Hi, Bella. I missed you guys," she stated looking between us.

"We missed you, too, just so you know." I lifted her chin and smiled. "We love you, Makenna."

"I love you too." Her smile lit up her beautiful face and her green eyes sparkled. I reached down and held both my girls' hands while I greeted the others.

The day I gave birth to MC was a life altering experience; love at first sight was an understatement for the overwhelming since of pride I felt. I had loved her from the day I read the positive result on my pregnancy test, all of them thanks to Alice. I adored her when I first felt her move inside me, and was enamored when I saw the grainy image of her during the ultrasound after being told I was having a girl. Mary Claire Black captivated me once I held her in my arms, giving my life a new meaning.

I had experienced love in many forms during my lifetime. From growing up surrounded by love from my parents and friends to learning to give myself over in the name of it through Edward and Jake. When MC was born, I experienced a type of love like no other, the kind only shared between a mother and her child. My world orbited around her and I found myself feeling the exact same way about Makenna. She may not have been created from my own flesh and blood, but it didn't matter, she was my daughter in every way that counted. She was charming, sweet, kind, funny and witty and a million other things wrapped up all together. The fact that her father was Edward made me feel even more drawn to her. I would care for Makenna as if she were mine.

Esme's happiness at witnessing our exchange radiated through her greeting. She gave me an awkward hug because I still held their hands, and she kissed my cheek.

"Hi, Bella!" I was greeted enthusiastically.

I laughed. "Hey, Esme!" I beamed with genuine excitement.

I let go of the girls and she pulled MC into a real hug. "How's my little MC this morning?"

"I'm good, thank you," she said and I smiled with pride. I worked for many years to teach her to use her manners. It paid off.

Esme hugged her again and winked at me. "MC, you're the most perfect child. You and Makenna both make me so proud and happy. I'm so glad that I have you in my life."

MC looked back at me with a huge, genuine smiled painted on her face. She had my mom, but it wasn't the same as having a grandma you could see regularly. They loved each other fiercely but their phone calls and occasional visits didn't fulfill the need my daughter had for a grandmother. Esme filled her void and their love and devotion to each other was mutual.

I turned around at the ringing of the bell as the door was opened again. Rose walked into the shop carrying three large cups of Starbucks.

"Good morning, ladies." She handed me and Esme a drink. "Es, I have your usual. Bella, I had to go through Edward to find out what you like. I hope he got it right," she said with laughter. "Come on, give it a taste. I want to see if Dr. Pretty knows his stuff." She challenged.

Raising the cup to my lips I took a sip of the hot drink. _Perfect._

"Yummy! My man knows what I like." I bragged.

"I'm sure he does," Esme snickered and winked at me, causing me to blush.

Not wanting to stay embarrassed, I decided to fight fire with fire and bluntly stated, "In more ways than you'd like to know about, I'm sure." I giggled in victory.

Esme, who was never one to be defeated easily, and I should have known better than to challenge her, won by saying, "If it makes me another beautiful grandbaby like the two I have here, then I'll listen to you talk about your nights with my son any day." And just like that, she walked away to find the girls and help them begin shopping.

I shook my head to clear it and thanked Rose for the coffee. I hadn't seen her since the night of Emmett's party, I hoped to get to her know her better throughout the day.

I walked around the store stopping every now and then to touch a few of the dresses as I went. There were some that I couldn't imagine a woman wearing in public unless she wanted to show all her goods to the world. There were several dresses I tried on hoping they would show off just enough of my own assets.

I could hear the girls giggling together from the dressing room near me as Makenna told MC she looked very pretty and MC returned the sentiment a few moments later. I enjoyed listening to them compliment one another.

I tried on a white strapless gown and decided to send a quick picture to Edward. Taking out my BlackBerry, I snapped one and sent it to him.

**What do you think?**

I really couldn't see myself wearing white, so I took the dress off and hung it on the hook behind the door.

Next, I tried on a black, cocktail length dress. It had a sweetheart neckline, but dipped a little too low to be appropriate for the occasion. I decided to send another picture to Edward, at a more _strategic_ angle.

I typed my message and hit send.

**Or do you like this dress better, babe?**

I wished I could watch his eyes pop out of his head when he opened a close up picture of the top of my left breast framed in black satin and lace. My nipple was not visible, but it may as well have been. Very little would be left to his imagination.

I loved the playfulness we had with each other. You would think that after all the years we spent apart, and many the challenges we'd faced separately, we would not be as comfortable together as we were. Hell, sometimes I couldn't believe it. We had only been an official couple for about a month, but it felt like we had never missed a step. I actually felt more secure knowing he was just as dedicated to making it work as I was.

_wow u look beautiful bella ~ Dr. E. Cullen_

He obviously hadn't opened the second picture. I waited for his next response.

_jesus buy both NOW ~ Dr. E. Cullen_

**Only if you're good, Dr. Cullen.**

I removed the black dress and hung it up with the white one. I started to slip on a turquoise wrap dress.

_i'll show u good bizzy ~ Dr. E. Cullen_

**Promises, promises. **

I knew he'd make good on his promises and I couldn't wait for him to get his hands on me.

_PROMISE! kiss my girls gotta go emmett is being an ass ~ Dr. E. Cullen_

**I will and I'll bring some dinner when I drop Makenna off. See you later. **

_stay 2nite? ~ Dr. E. Cullen_

That was his nightly question. If we had our way, we would spend every night holding each other. As it was, we had spent three nights together the past week and our daughters weren't complaining. As always, I wouldn't be able to resist his offer.

**Of course. Have fun and we'll see you later. Oh, thanks for remembering my drink.**

_i remember everything ~ Dr. E. Cullen_

How could I resist him? The simple answer was that I couldn't.

I heard Makenna and MC returning with more dresses to try on. My daughter's voice did not sound as happy as it had before, so I tried to pinpoint what was wrong. I slipped my jeans back on as I listened.

"But I don't think he'll like this one, Makenna. I need something that will make me really pretty," she whispered.

"He'll like it, MC," Makenna said quietly.

"I don't think it's pretty enough. Go get that pink dress."

"All right," she said. Makenna was walking away when I left my dressing room. She looked sad.

"Are you okay?" I asked as she walked passed me. She nodded and kept going.

I walked over to the dressing room where MC was waiting for her to return and knocked on the door. She slowly opened it and when her eyes met mine, I could tell something had upset her.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she responded looking away from me. It was a sure sign that she was lying.

"Mary Claire Black, what happened? Why do you look so sad? I can't help you if you don't let me."

I looked around the dressing area while I waited for her to talk. I saw Makenna whispering in Rose's ear and she stopped to look at me, concern etched on her face.

MC reached for my hand, hugged me tightly and talked into my shirt which muffled her voice. "I just want to look pretty and I'm scared that he won't think so."

I pulled away from her and saw the tears in her eyes. I immediately sank down to my knees so I was eye level with her.

"Who won't think you're pretty, MC?" I asked worriedly.

She shook her head and did not answer.

I looked over to Makenna again and she mouthed, "My Dad."

I nodded and looked back to MC who was now vibrating with the effort to not cry.

Sadness filled my heart and looking down at my daughter because I knew her worries were unnecessary. Edward loved her just I as did and I needed to make her understand that.

"Sweetie, are you worried that Edward will only like you if you're dressed up in pretty dresses? That's not the Edward that I know and he would _never_ think that. The Edward _we_ know takes us bowling and swimming. He plays with Barbie dolls, knows iCarly better than all of us and reads books so well that we think we're watching a movie with all of the voices he makes."

She stopped crying and looked up at me with a smile on her face, but it didn't go with the tears that still ran down her little cheeks, desperate to believe he loved her. _Oh, baby girl, he loves you._

"The Edward _we_ know played in a Castle with his favorite girls and made a fool out of himself so _they_ had a good time. He doesn't love you only when you're wearing fancy clothes. He loves you when you wearing your pajamas, have bed head or even when you wake up wearing your smelly socks from the night before." I scrunched up my nose in disgust.

"I want you to know that even though Edward may not have said it out loud to you that he loves you, he has told me how much he already does. The man that _we_ know loves you with every bit of his heart. So you need to concentrate on choosing which dress _you_ like and what you want to wear because he just wants you to be happy, okay? Just be the MC Black he knows _and_ loves."

She smiled and hugged me again.

I looked up and saw Rose walking towards us. Esme had joined their discussion and distracted Makenna by showing her some shoes.

"You're mom is right, MC. Edward talks about you as much as he does Makenna and every time you're mentioned, he gets the biggest smile on his face. You make him very happy." She hugged her and brought a tissue to her face to dab her tears away. "We all love you very much. Never worry that you have to dress a certain way or say things to make us happy. You just do it by being yourself. Now, your best friend over there is worried about you. Why don't you go give her a hug and find a dress that makes you feel pretty?"

MC nodded and walked over to hug Makenna. It was quick because they were interrupted by Esme wrapping them both up in her loving arms, kissing the tops of their heads.

"You're amazing, Bella," Rose said reaching for my hand.

"Why's that, Rose?" I had no clue where she could possibly be going with that.

"MC is so lucky to have you for her mother and I know that Makenna is glad you're around too. I talked to her about you. Well, let me back up, _she_ talked about you to me last week. I had been over at Esme's house with Emmett and Makenna was on the phone with her mom. First I need to tell you that Jessica is a good mom so you don't think I'm talking badly about her. That's not my intention."

She paused and looked around to make sure the girls couldn't hear us. Luckily, they were in the other area searching the dresses again since MC was confident in whatever decision she would make.

"Bella, they were on the phone talking for about forty minutes. Never once did I hear Makenna laugh or ask a question. She barely spoke because Jessica carried the conversation. I could hear bits and pieces of both sides, but her mom mainly focused the topics on herself, her husband and how much fun she was having."

Poor Makenna. She loved her mom so much and looked forward to calling and spending some time with her. I hated that it seemed as if their conversations were more geared towards Jessica's life rather than Makenna's. I had known Jessica for several years while she dated Edward and she might have been a little selfish at times, but I could only imagine how much being away from her daughter upset her. I hoped that was a one time occurrence.

"She didn't even ask Makenna how she liked her new school and if she was making friends. However, when Makenna did talk, she spoke about you and MC with pride and love laced within every word. I know you don't see the change in her, but we do. She's not a shy, little bookworm any longer, Bella, and the change in her is from you. You've accepted her from the start and encouraged her to become more confident in herself. I know you'll never replace her mom, because like I said, Jessica really is good with her, but Makenna needed you and I'm so glad you love her too. I can see it in every action and word spoken between you two."

I had tears in my eyes and couldn't stop them from falling. Rose had said everything that I longed to hear, but never admitted to myself. Not only did Edward and Makenna welcome me and MC, but so did Esme, Carlisle, Emmett and Rose. Everything had happened so quickly, but at the right pace for us. I couldn't imagine being any happier with my life.

I whispered, "I do, Rose, I love her so much. Edward, MC and Makenna mean so much to me and I love them with all my heart. Thank you for talking with me because I needed to hear it." I walked up to her and wrapped my arms around her waist.

"We all know you do, sweetie, but just so you know, it's mutual. Edward loves both of you too."

"I know he does." And I did. We may not have said the words again, but I knew we loved each other.

"Come on; let's get back to the girls before Esme buys them two of everything."

We enjoyed our girls day out and later that evening spent time at Edward's condo swimming. We splashed and even had a chicken fight. Edward chose MC to be his partner and l saw him talking with her throughout our time together. I never asked either of them what was said but I hoped he told MC he loved her that night as she seemed happier than every before.

A week later I found myself stepping out of his shower after helping the girls put their dresses on. They were too excited to wait until I was finished to help them, so each girl ganged up on Dr. Pushover and he agreed to help them. _Sucker._

As I walked into his bedroom, I noticed a box sitting near my dress which I had set out prior to showering. Smiling, I reached down and removed the lid. Nestled inside the velvet lining was an exquisite pair of diamond earrings. They had a small diamond stud and then dangled about an inch with a thin silver chain connecting them, ending in a tear drop diamond at the bottom. Three additional stones were between the top and bottom sets.

I had died and gone to heaven. I had found the most generous and romantic man on the planet and we were in love more than ever. He didn't need to buy me outrageously expensive gifts, but I loved them and would cherish the earrings for a lifetime.

I quickly fixed my hair into a twist and added a touch of strawberry lip gloss. After slipping my feet into my shoes, I walked out to join my family.

The image of Edward in a tuxedo would be etched into my brain forever. He wore a black tux, white shirt and a thin black tie. _I can't wait to wrap my hands around it and pull him in for a kiss._ My eyes traveled from his perfectly messy hair to the tip of his shiny black dress shoes. I was a very lucky lady, indeed.

MC and Makenna came running into the room with matching double braids in their hair. Apparently Dr. Pushover had been playing hairstylist as well. They looked adorable.

Makenna wore a dark pink satin dress which had rhinestones around the neckline with short sleeves and a black belt accenting the waist. Her legs were covered in white tights and she wore black slip on shoes with a small thin strap around her ankle. Wearing the same shoes and tights as Makenna, MC had chosen a dress that was black satin with short sleeves as well. The bottom was black and white flower petals with a thin layer of white lace that decorated the hemline. Her waist had a black satin bow, accented with a dark pink flower.

I giggled at how beautiful they were and asked Edward to grab his camera. I wanted to remember that moment forever. We spent twenty minutes snapping photos, including the girls taking pictures of Edward and I then we locked up and headed for the hotel.

The drive over seemed to take longer than I expected as I was so excited for a night out. We got the parent thing out of the way and reminded the girls of their manners and what to expect during the party.

As we approached the hotel, I couldn't help but think that was the first time Edward would be introducing me to his colleagues, as his girlfriend none the less. It was a title I held proudly and couldn't wait to show it off.

**~~ E & B ~~**

_**Edward**_

"Are you sure about this?" Jasper asked hesitantly as he slammed the door shut.

"Yep, I did my research, I know what I want and how much I'm willing to spend." I clicked the automatic locks on the remote and put the keys in my pocket.

"Fuck the research, it's all about the way it looks, kid." Emmett chimed in as we started to walk.

That was my brother for you, he wasn't about specs or safety ratings, and his only concern was image.

We had argued over my decision to buy a Harley the whole way to the dealership. Emmett thought I should buy a Ducati because of clean lines and racing look. He thought I was too much of a pretty boy to ride a Harley. For some reason, he had a perceived notion that owning one automatically meant that I was going to start wearing fringed leather jackets, chaps and a bandana covering my head. Emmett thought all Harley owners looked like they were a part of the Hells Angels motorcycle club and not average people like me. I gave up trying to explain to him that the model I was interested in was far from the classic biker look.

Jasper, on the other hand, had no input on what make or model I should purchase. The entire drive he tried to get statistics in about the dangers of riding a motorcycle. You would have thought he was the doctor, not me.

I had done extensive research, I knew exactly what I hoped to walk out of that door as mine. A 2009 Harley Davidson Softtail Delux, flame blue pearl.

After we walked around the showroom and I spoke to the salesman, Laurent, about exactly what I wanted, Jasper tried to pull out all the stops. He brought up the one source that he knew could potentially change my mind.

"So, what does Bella say about this? " He asked nonchalantly.

I gave him a wary look before I answered; I could tell what he was up to.

"She actually doesn't know about it, yet. I thought I would surprise her." I responded and shrugged not allowing him the satisfaction of knowing that I was slightly concerned about her thoughts myself.

Bella and the girls were spending the day with my mom; they planned to shop for dresses for my dad's retirement party. I pretended to sulk all week that I would have nothing to do while they were out, but I knew what I would be doing all along. When I asked the guys if they wanted to hang out, I left the details about where we would be going, I wanted to make sure my plan stayed a secret.

One of the reasons I chose it was for the second seat option as well it was made for a comfortable ride, which would benefit both Bella and I when we took it out. I had planned to steal my girl away as much as possible. I couldn't wait to have her wrapped around my body while the wind blew in our faces, as we flew past the world in peace.

"Boy, you're 'bout to learn your first lesson in keeping a woman happy." A southern draw crept out as Jasper spoke.

"What are you talking about? Bella won't care I buy this."

_At least I hope not._

"It's not like he needs her permission, Jazz. He hasn't put a ring on her finger. He's a free man living in a free country." Emmett came to my defense.

"Damn, you both have so much to learn. Don't come running to my house when you need a couch to sleep on, just saying." Jasper rubbed his jaw and walked towards some display bikes on the other side of the show room.

Bella sent me several text messages with pictures attached of the different dresses she tried on. I almost caved and told her what I was shopping for but held out in the end. I wanted to stick to my original plan of surprising her, and I knew exactly how I was going to do it.

Laurent made his way back over to me with the details about ordering the specific bike I wanted. Apparently dealers didn't keep many Softtails in stock and that particular dealership didn't have the color I wanted. I was fine with ordering one; I didn't have my motorcycle license yet, so it wasn't like I would be able to drive it home.

After settling on a price and handling the payment, we were on our way out of the dealership. I was ecstatic and couldn't wait to get my hands on my new toy.

Emmett slapped me on my shoulder as we walked to my SUV. "Good job, kid. I'm bringing you with me when I get mine. I may have to store it at mom and dad's though, Rose would fuck me up if she knew I had a bike."

Jasper gave us a pointed look but kept his mouth shut.

The days following our outing flew by, as work and spending time with my girls kept me busy. During the rare moments I had to myself, I started to research what direction I wanted to take my career. The more time I spent at the hospital, the more I realized my position wasn't fulfilling me in the ways I imagined a career as a doctor would.

Midweek I asked my dad to meet me for lunch to discuss my thoughts. He had always been there for me, to guide me not only in my personal life but in my path as a doctor. Carlisle Cullen was the greatest doctor and man in my book; I knew he wouldn't let me down when I needed his guidance in considering a career change.

As I told my dad about the research I had done and the options that lay before me, I noticed pride flicker in his eyes as I spoke. He listened thoroughly and gave his input on everything, but said in the end it would come down to not only what was best for my career, but for my family as well.

_My Family… Makenna, Bella and MC._

He said I needed to not only talk that over with Bella but weigh the pro's and con's of how it would affect Makenna and MC during the transition. It wouldn't necessarily be hard but would require some more schooling which meant time away from my girls. I promised to think everything over and I let him know when I came to a decision.

It was ironic in a way, I was planning for my future in the world of medicine while my father was about to hang up his white coat to retire. My dad explained how he would never be able to stay home, golf or travel just for leisure for the rest of his life. He was a man of medicine and when he got the itch to help people in need, he and my mom would be doing missionary work wherever doctors were needed. I was never more proud to be his son; he truly was someone to look up to.

The day of the retirement party was spent with me sitting on the couch watching Bella and the girls rush around getting things together. It was times like these I was thankful I was a man. All I was required to do was to shower, shave and put on the tux that was picked out for me.

They did a great job picking out dresses for the girls to wear. Makenna loved to dress up so I knew she wouldn't give them any trouble when it came time to choose. MC, on the other hand, didn't seem too fond of dresses but didn't complain very much. They were anxious to get ready and could not hold out until Bella was available to help them. I got everything laid out for them but was shoed away from the room so they could change. After they made their grand entrance in the living room for me, I put my braiding skills to work, starting with MC.

As I fastened the rubber band into her braid, I told her how beautiful she looked and that I loved her. I kissed her forehead and moved on to braiding Makenna's hair.

They ended up keeping me company in the living room twirling around and dancing with each other, it was entertaining to say the least.

Bella had forbid me from my room stating she wanted to surprise me with her dress and hair all done up. I had a surprise of my own; I bought her pair earrings that held several diamonds. I was certain that they would go perfect with whatever she would be wearing that evening.

I enlisted the girls help and had them deliver the velvet box to Bella. She was in the shower when they entered my room so they left it next to her belongings on my bed.

I tried to get details out of them about what my beautiful Bella would be wearing for the evening. However, they would not indulge me at all because apparently, I needed to wait and see.

When she emerged from my room I was truly blown away, she was more beautiful then I could have ever imagined. With her hair up, the earrings took center stage of her appearance since they accented the stunning blue dress she wore, and when light hit them they sparkled. The women had an eye for picking out clothing that hugged her body in all the perfect places; I was convinced she liked to torture me.

Bella loved that I surprised her and didn't give me too much grief about giving her an extravagant gift for no reason at all. I told her to expect more surprises like that; I already had some ideas for others in the future.

My dad's party was being held at the Fairmount Olympic Hotel. Seattle General was sending him off in style, that's for sure.

I held Bella's hand when we entered the lobby as the girls walked in front of us chatting away. I heard a small gasp come from Bella and she stopped dead in her tracks.

"Ohmygod, Edward. This place is beautiful," she said as she took in her surroundings.

I chuckled at her sudden reaction then squeezed her hand and continued to walk towards the check in counter.

We had opted not to ride in the limo with the rest of the family. Everyone was staying overnight but we didn't want to be rushed to leave the next day, we wanted to enjoy the amenities the hotel offered.

"Let's go get checked in so we can meet my parents. My mom will have a shit fit if we aren't waiting in the lobby entrance, like I said we would be. Em sent me a text a couple minutes ago saying she's on edge and he was trying to get her to have some champagne to loosen her up."

I wasn't stupid, when Esme Cullen was on a rampage you did what you were told, we would be waiting for them when they arrived.

"She's just nervous and so proud of your dad. He may have been the one working for the hospital all these years, but she's been by his side dealing with the challenges of raising you boys, tending to a house and having her own career. It's a special night for her too, ya know?"

I agreed with everything Bella said. My parents were the perfect example of true partners, that achievement may have been accomplished by my dad's knowledge and hands, but it wouldn't have been possible without my mom's support. Bella nodded her head as I recited that acknowledgement to her while we waited to check in.

"I'm sure I'll feel the same way when it's your retirement party." She added in almost a whisper. I leaned down and gave her a soft kiss, happy that she was looking forward to events in the future that included us together.

We had made it back to the main lobby with time to spare. Makenna and MC sat on a bench while Bella and I stood in front of them with my arms wrapped around her waist.

"You girls know to be on your best behavior tonight, right? " Bella asked. I wasn't sure if she was bringing it up again to pass the time or simply to remind them. On the car ride over we explained to them what the night would entail and how special it was for my dad. They were great kids but we knew they would be bored quickly so we used the things we planned for the next day as leverage to get them to cooperate with us.

"We'll be good, we promise." Makenna sweetly said while MC nodded her head in agreement.

"Daddy, can we sleep in Nana and Grandpa's room tonight? Nana told me they were gonna have a _huge _room with a tub that MC and I could swim in." She looked excited as if that was actually a possibility; I thought my mom was exaggerating.

Hmm… a night without Makenna and MC "chaperoning" us. That sounds fucking fantastic!

I looked at Bella, silently asking her if she would mind, she wagged her eyebrows at me letting me know she had the same thought.

"Sure, Kenni Bear, that's fine with us but you'll have to ask Nana and Grandpa first. If they say no, don't give them a hard time about it, okay?" I gave her a pointed look.

The doorman opened the doors and along with a gush of wind from the chilly air outside was my mom with my dad, Emmett and Rose following closely behind her.

"Oh good, you guys made it on time." She smiled at me, and then moved to hug Bella and tell her how beautiful she looked.

"Nana." Makenna tugged on her arm trying to get her attention.

"Yes, my beautiful granddaughter." She brushed her finger along Makenna's cheek and finally looked relaxed.

"Can me and MC sleep in your room tonight, please?" Makenna pleaded. She was working harder than she needed to because I knew my mother would never say no to her. MC stood next to her with hands pressed together like she was praying, smiling as sweetly as her partner in crime.

Bella shook her head and laughed at the sight of our daughters; I couldn't help but laugh at myself.

"Of course you can, angels."

"Apparently dad won't be getting an after hours celebration tonight." Emmett said under his breath causing all of us to turn and look in his direction.

"Emmett Cullen, I heard that. Watch your mouth around the girls." My mom glared at him for a couple seconds then turned back to the girls with a smile on her face, like my brother had not interrupted.

She stepped closer to them and brushed her hand along MC's hair lovingly. Out of the corner of my eye I caught Bella's expression to my mom's tender moment, she seemed pleased. I had told her how much my mom adored MC and Bella was thrilled that my parents were so excepting of her.

"I'm sure Grandpa will want to have a night cap with his friends, so us ladies can have a dessert and Shirley Temples sent up to our room." She said, earning cheers from both Makenna and MC, though I wondered if they even knew what Shirley Temples were.

We made small talk for awhile before the coordinator in charge greeted us and informed my dad a photograph of him was requested. Thanks to my mom being the persistent person she was, we all walked down the hall and headed towards a side room where we would have impromptu family pictures taken.

The photographer took several shots of my dad alone, then with my mom before she asked the rest of us to join them. We all walked towards the back drop, but I noticed Bella stayed behind and was leaning down whispering in MC's ear.

"Bella, it's time for us to join them," I stated, wondering if maybe she had missed the orders we were given.

She shifted back and forth a little as her face blushed before she looked down quickly then back up at me.

"Umm… she wants a family picture, Edward. MC and I are fine, so go on and we'll watch you from back here." She gave me a strained smile, trying not to show how uncomfortable she was.

Before I could respond, my mom turned on her heels and waltzed back over to us.

"Sweetheart, don't be silly. You are family and it will be _official _before long, so come brighten our picture with your beautiful smiles." She placed her hand on Bella's back and gave her a little push towards me.

Bella's eyes darted to mine; I extended my hand out to her and gave her a bright smile.

"Did you really think I would take a family picture without both of you, Bizzy?" I asked in a low tone not wanting to cause any more attention.

"I didn't want to assume, Edward." She answered back matching my hushed voice.

I stopped us, turned to face her, and then looked directly into her eyes.

"Your placeis with me. You and the girls are my life now. Got it?"

She answered me with a nod and I leaned down to place a kiss on her lips, wanting her to feel my words since it wasn't an appropriate time to elaborate.

We lined up accordingly with my parents in the center. It was the perfect spot for them since they were the heart of our family. Emmett and Rose were directed to their left while Bella and I went to their right. Makenna and MC made the picture complete as they were placed in front of my parents with each of them touching one of the girl's shoulders.

For the first time in my life I could honestly say I felt complete. I had the people I considered important surrounding me, with the love and admiration we all shared for each other clearly written on our faces, as the photograph was taken to capture our moment.

**A/N: Who wants their picture taken with Edward? Well guess what. Tanglingshadows had hers taken with Rob at the WfE NYC premier! Lucky bitch…**

**Pictures have been added to PhotoBucket and the link is on our profile.**

**Thanks for reading. If you have the time, please review and we'll send you a teaser of the next chapter. **


	15. In Love with a Girl

**Thank you to our beta LZTZ, and prereader tanglingshadows, for their help and support.**

**Disclaimer: We don't own Twilight, but it owns us.**

**Chapter 15 - In Love with a Girl**

_**Edward**_

I thought I was prepared for the events of the night, but as I listened to speeches about my father I realized I wasn't. In the moment, it hit me like a ton of bricks just who Dr. Carlisle Cullen was to his patients, peers, as well as to the men and women he considered his mentors. I had never been privileged enough to work side by side with my dad, but I didn't need to know what kind of doctor he was; the people who spoke painted the picture for us. He was strong, compassionate, caring and gave all of himself to every patient he treated.

As I sat beside my family I knew I wanted to be as great as he was one day. It was time for me to step up to my full potential. I couldn't wait to discuss my desire to change positions with Bella and to tell my dad I had come to a decision.

After our lunch the other day, I continued my research and found that I actually wouldn't have as much schooling to complete as I had thought. I would figure out a schedule that worked for all of us, but I knew once I told Bella exactly what I wanted to do, she would support me in any way she could.

I sat holding Bella's hand and when our eyes met, we couldn't help but to share a smile. I moved closer to place a kiss under her ear.

"What was that for?" She whispered.

_Because I love you._

I opened and closed my mouth abruptly to stop myself from saying the words that came to me so naturally. They were true; I loved her with every part of my body, mind and soul.

I didn't feel it was the right moment to declare what I really wanted to say so I gave her a tight smile and whispered back, "Just 'cause, Bizzy." I leaned forward and was rewarded with a strawberry flavored kiss.

My dad's farewell speech caused the women at our table to become teary eyed. He spoke about one of the reasons he had chosen to become a doctor was to insure he could provide for his family and I couldn't help but look towards Makenna and MC. I hoped someday they would understand the hard work and dedication I planned to put into my career, to do just what my dad had done to provide the best life possible for them.

Dinner was served and we had to scold Emmett for encouraging the girls to play with their food. I knew it was a bad idea to let them sit next to him but he insisted on it. He stated that Bella and I were too boring and that Makenna and MC would need all the fun they could get. Apparently, Emmett felt as if having manners in public was boring. Thankfully my mom was seated on the other side of them and shot down every bad idea he came up with. MC and Makenna just giggled at him and thought he was funny.

As the plates were cleared, my parents were asked to lead the first dance. My dad guided her across the floor and from what I could see, they were deep in conversation the whole time, letting out a few laughs from time to time. Bella was right; it was a night of celebration for them both. I_ almost_ felt guilty for allowing Makenna to ask if they could stay with them for the night.

The dance floor started to fill up and Emmett strolled out with each of the girls holding his hand. He stated he was about to show the crowd what a true ladies man he was by showing off his dancing skills. My brother ended up twirling, spinning and dipping each girl while keeping some form of rhythm going throughout the dance. Guests seated around the dance floor laughed and clapped encouraging him to continue.

"I'm about to go steal my man back. I can see those skanky nurses over there giving him fuck me eyes." Rose stood up, threw her napkin down, and then walked over to join them.

Bella and I watched the four of them dance and act silly together. I pulled her seat closer to mine, feeling the need to touch her while my mind had been racing since my almost slip up. I had no doubts that I loved her and that Makenna loved her as well. I wasn't necessarily afraid she did not love me back since loving each other was never a problem for us. What I was afraid about was pushing her too fast.

Even as teenagers, most people would have classified us as being in 'puppy' love but we were far from that. The love we shared then was real and in the purest way possible. I was just a fucking moron to let it all go; I thought that life experience was more important than our relationship. The only negative to loving someone that much at such a young age was you didn't appreciate it as much as you did when you were older. I would be sure that Makenna and MC understood that. God, it would fucking kill me to watch them fall in love but when they did, I would understand. I remember having a similar discussion with Charlie when I was a seventeen year old punk ass kid, and although he didn't like it, he accepted my love for his daughter. Charlie went on to say he had a conversation much like ours with Renee's dad. It's the circle of life, especially when you have daughters.

"What are you thinking so hard about over there, Edward?" Bella asked, bringing me out of my thoughts. I entwined our fingers, brought them to my lips and lightly kissed her.

"I was just watching our girls. They seem to be having a lot of fun with Emmett," I responded trying to dodge the subject as I figured out what I wanted to do.

"Emmett's entertaining them, that's for sure. And we thought we'd have to find ways to keep them from falling asleep at the table." She laughed and grabbed her wine glass to take a drink.

I was completely under her spell. I couldn't help but stare at her, she was so beautiful and_ all mine_. It was time I told her how I felt and exactly what my intentions were in regards to her and MC.

The music changed and a slower song came on as the crowd weeded out to only couples.

"Dance with me, beautiful." I pushed my chair back and presented my hand, asking her to join me.

She agreed and we made our way to the center of the dance floor. I pulled her close to me and wrapped my arms around her waist. Her head rested against my chest and we started to sway as the tempo slowly picked up.

As I listened to the words, it was clear the song was about young love. After listening closer, I realized it was about a couple that were about to face a separation despite wanting to be together. The girl pleaded with him not to go and in the end the guy begged her to marry him because he stood up to a challenge and paved a way for their future.

It was a love story… _it was us_.

"Bella," I whispered to get her attention.

"Hmm." She responded but kept her head resting against me.

I gently nudged her chin to capture her attention and when our eyes met, I bent down to place a kiss on her lips hoping it would calm my nerves.

"I... I want to tell you something," I stammered out.

Her eyebrows scrunched as she glanced at me with a questioning look on her face. I placed another kiss on her lips before I started over.

"Bella… being here with you tonight has made me realize so many things. Watching my parents together and hearing about the life they made for their family made me realize just how much I want to be standing up there years from now doing the same thing with you. Showing the crowd of people that despite the fact I had a career as a doctor, my most important role in life was being a father and husband." I whispered the last part.

_Husband_. That was a foreign word to me in some aspects. I had never felt the _desire_ to be a husband in my lifetime, but I finally knew that it was what I had _needed_ all along. More importantly, I _wanted_ to be Bella's husband.

Bella's eyes got wide as she registered what I was saying, making me realize I may be jumping ahead of myself.

"What I'm trying to say is… Bella, I love you. I've always loved you and I plan to love you until the day I die. Despite time and separations, you're the one and only person who has ever captured my heart and it's yours to keep."

I gazed at her face trying to get a feel for what she was thinking. I didn't have to stare for very long because before I could think of what to say next, her lips crashed against mine.

The fact that our daughters, my parents and a room full a people could have been watching us slipped my mind. I let go of her waist and took her cheeks in the palms of my hands so I could give her a passionate kiss. I wanted to show her every ounce of desire I had for her, which had been kept at bay since we reunited.

When we broke apart I noticed a tear at the corner of her eye. I had a brief moment of panic where I thought I may have misjudged her intentions with our kiss. Just as I was about to apologize, a huge smile appeared on her face as she quickly wiped it away.

"I love you too, Edward… so much." She stated proudly then continued, "I've been waiting to hear you say those words to me again for years."

I gently moved my hands from her cheeks to the sides of her neck and looked directly into her eyes.

"I meant everything I said Bella, you're it for me as long as you'll have me." She mouthed_ forever_ as I finished what I had to say. "You won't go a day from here on out without hearing me tell you that I love you."

We embraced and shared more whispered words of love until the song came to end. After we danced to a few songs, we walked towards the table where _our _family sat, I couldn't help but notice my mom wiping away a tear of her own. She had witnessed our exchange and knew the significance behind it. We shared a smile and my dad nodded his head in approval.

Great music, conversation and lots of dancing occupied us but as the night wore on, Bella and I couldn't help but to lean in to each other and share a kiss every chance we got. We had both been getting antsy to get back to our room to be alone.

Bella excused herself to use the restroom while I sat with Emmett and Rose. They both gave me a hard time about my public displays of affection. Emmett teased me about doing the deed with Bella later that night and tried to give me pointers since he thought I would be out of practice.

When Bella returned, she put her arms around my neck and ducked down to talk directly into my ear.

"Can we go outside and get some air. It's really warm in here."

I looked over at her and noticed her face was flushed.

"Feeling okay, babe?" I asked concerned.

"I'm fine, but I just need some fresh air." She smiled at me and stood up.

"Can you guys look after the girls? I'm sure they'll get tired of dancing with dad shortly." I asked Emmett and Rose. They waived us off and said they would find us if we were needed.

We walked out the double doors that led to a private balcony, which had an amazing view as it looked towards downtown Seattle. Between the dim overhead lights of the hotel and the faint street lights, the area was pretty dark and secluded.

Bella walked to the railing at the corner of the balcony and looked over while she took a deep breath. I stood next to her and put my arm around her to pull her close.

"Are you sure you're okay, Bella? We can go back to our room if you aren't feeling well."

"I really am fine. Just with all the dancing and the excitement, I needed a moment alone with you." She looked up at me with a smirk on her face.

I couldn't argue with that. Our night had been filled with the excitement of not only celebrating with our family, but our unexpected declarations. I wanted nothing more than to haul Bella off to our room and show her _physically_ how much I loved her, but I knew it would be inappropriate to call it a night prematurely.

I slowly turned her around to face me. We could hear the music playing in the ballroom and we danced together, with our hands constantly gliding and feeling each other. My hands slid along the dress covering her ass and stayed there. Bella looked up at me with a desire in her eyes that took my breath away.

She shifted and snaked her arm around my back then moved so she was standing behind me. Bella brought her other arm around and took my body fully into a hug.

"What are you doing, Bizzy?" I chuckled, curious to why she would hug me from behind.

"Shift to your right a little, Edward." She demanded.

"Huh… Why?" I tried to look over my shoulder at her but she nudged me in the direction she wanted me.

"Just _do_ it, I promise you'll like my reasoning."

I shifted to my right and it made it so we were no longer parallel with the railing. My side was slightly tucked into the corner wall. Bella had her body pressed up against mine with her head lying between my shoulder blades looking back towards the door.

Before I could ask why she wanted us to stand like that, I felt her tug on my belt to loosen it.

"You want to know why I was flushed inside, Edward?" She asked but didn't wait for me to respond. "It's from dancing so close to you, song after song. Having your body so close to mine, yet so far away because of the clothes between us; it gave me dirty thoughts. I couldn't help myself from thinking about what we can do tonight now that we have a room to ourselves. I just have to touch you."

Instead of unbuckling my belt all the way, she loosened it up and unzipped my pants. She wasted no time and pushed her hand through the opening until she found my waiting semi-hard cock. When her hand wrapped around it and gave a squeeze, my knees buckled a little.

"You better stay standing straight, eyes open and a pretty smile on that handsome face, just in case we have people join us. You wouldn't want them to have a show now would you?" She purred at me as her hand made slow passes up and down my shaft taking it from semi-hard to rock hard in a matter of seconds.

"Oh fuck. That feels _so_ good but we can't do this here, baby. Let's just go to our room _now_." I was already fighting to do what I had been told but the feeling of her strokes was fucking fantastic. I could feel the coil in my stomach start to tighten, winding up with each stroke.

"I _need_ to touch you." She stated and picked up her pace causing me to let out a groan and fight against the urge to close my eyes.

Her rhythm changed from long strokes to short ones where she paid extra attention to my swollen head.

When I felt her finger swipe against my slit and swirl around the wetness that had pooled there, I about lost it. My hips started to thrust into her hand on their own seeking more friction.

Bella backed off and took a small step away, I whimpered at the loss of contact.

"Nuh uh, I'm in charge here."

"Isabella." I spat out through gritted teeth. "You better get your little hand back on my cock now, or you will pay for it later." I insisted.

"Hmm... I hope that's a promise, Dr. Cullen," she snickered and went back to stroking me.

As she got her pace back, I felt my body flush from the tension in my pants. My entire body was tingly and I knew I was close.

I placed my hands on the railing to brace myself then flung my head back and let out a long moan.

"Feels so fucking good." I murmured over and over.

Bella's pace slowed and I felt her hand release me and, once again, I couldn't help but whimper.

"Bizzy." I whined, not happy that she stopped right as I was about to cum.

"A respectable doctor can't be in a room full of his colleagues with a mess in his pants, now can he?" She placed a kiss on my shoulder and let out a low giggle as she stepped back away from me.

"That's so fucking wrong," I stated and went to tighten my belt after pulling up my zipper.

I wasn't mad at her, but damn the woman was a tease. I had been desperate for her to be the source of an orgasm since the night she had slept over.

She wedged herself in between the railing and me then stepped up on her tippy toes and placed a kiss on my lips.

"Mmm... I'm sorry I started something I can't finish, but I promise to make it up to you tonight." She placed another kiss on my lips. "You look too sexy in this tux and I couldn't stand to look at you and not touch your body in the way I wanted to any longer."

I closed my eyes and rested my forehead against hers.

"It's okay. I'll just have blue balls for the rest of the night, so no big deal," I teased, causing her to laugh.

"How about I check in with your parents? If they seem to be winding down, maybe we can sneak off early." She played with the lapels of my jacket as she spoke.

"From the looks of my parents, we may be here all night," I said with a sigh. There was no way we could cut out early and leave them with the girls at my dad's party.

"Why don't you take a moment and enjoy the fresh air. You can't go inside with that." She gazed down towards my tented pants, I was praying she would come back and give me the attention I was desperate for. It was clear that wasn't happening though.

"Such a tease." I rubbed my face with the palm of my hands willing my body to calm down. "I don't remember you being so mean, Bella." I added a laugh, but it was forced.

Bella gave me a wink and mischievous smile, and then went to open the door to return to the ballroom.

"Smile now, baby, but mark my word. I'll pay you back for this little stunt of yours." I smirked at her, causing her to laugh and blow me a kiss before she shut the door.

I couldn't help but laugh to myself. The night really had been filled with excitement and from the way it looked; it was nowhere close to being over.

**~~ E & B ~~**

_**Bella**_

I cannot believe I had just done that to Edward. Was I so desperate to touch him and feel his skin against me that I practically molested him on the balcony? _Yes, I was._

Walking back into the ballroom, I looked around to make sure the girls were all right before pulling out my BlackBerry and texting Alice.

_You will not believe what I just did. I need your help._

I walked to the hallway and waited for her reply.

**What did you do? Good or bad? ~ AW**

Thank God it didn't take her long to respond.

_Good and bad, I think? First, I told Edward I loved him after he told me. _

**Yay! I'm so happy for you, Bella. So what did you do that has you so worried? ~ AW**

_Well, you see, I was so needy that I pulled Edward out onto the empty balcony and teased him._

**Teased him? ~ AW**

_I… can I just call you? I don't know how to text all this._

**I'll be waiting for your call. ~ AW**

I looked around the hallway, glad that it was still empty and dialed her number.

"So, how did he say he loved you?" Alice asked instead of saying hello.

"It was so beautiful, Allie. We started to dance just after Carlisle finished his farewell speech. Edward mentioned that his father's speech made him realize he wanted that to be us in the future and wants his life's focus to be as a father and a husband, not just a doctor. After that he said he loved me, I told him I loved him too." I smiled at the memory of our dance together. I would remember it forever.

"He said father _and_ a husband?" She asked. "You understand what he meant by that right?"

"I do, Allie, but that's not what I'm concerned about. Listen, I know you're not going to believe me when I tell you this, so I'm just going to spit it out. When we were on the balcony, we danced to some music we could hear coming from the ballroom. I was caught up in the moment and had this urgent need to touch him, so I did."

I looked around me again to insure that I was still alone and took a deep, steadying breath. "I turned him around and hugged him from behind, but didn't stop there. I don't know what I was thinking when I unzipped his pants and felt him up." I whispered to be safe.

"You didn't! Bella Black, tell me you did not wank Edward on the balcony! But if you did, I'm so proud of you! It's about time you took things into your own hands." She cracked up laughing at her stupid joke and made all the stress leave my tense body.

"I did, but I was a little mean about it and… well, he might be a little more uptight now. I didn't let him finish because I had come to my senses and remembered where we were."

"So? You just give him head tonight after the girls go to bed, no big deal." She said it like that was the most natural thing in the world to talk about.

"A blow job? That will make it all better?" I asked sarcastically.

"Yes, it will make it all better. He's a man, Bella. You need to apologize to the head in his pants and not the head on his shoulders. They are two completely different beasts," she said with confidence and added, "Trust me, I know these things."

I laughed and said that I would do just that.

Upon reentering the ballroom, I spotted the cutest thing. Both girls were dancing side by side with Edward. He bent down and kissed them both on the head and they looked at each other and giggled. I walked over to them and took Makenna's hand, asking her to dance with me. We danced hand in hand for several more songs and I taught her how to do the Electric Slide. I couldn't remember a time when I laughed so much.

I had an emotional moment when Carlisle asked me to join him for a dance; it made me long for my dad. I felt that earlier in the night as well, while we took the photographs. We were being included in their family picture and I was so proud standing among them. And while I loved being a part of the Cullen clan, I also wished I still had the Swan family in our lives too.

Eventually the crowd thinned out as people left for the evening. Esme and Carlisle said they would be ready to leave soon and asked us to pack a few necessities for the girls and to meet them in their room.

Strolling hand in hand, we each had our other arm wrapped around our daughters, as we made our way to the room to grab a few things they'd need. We decided to have them take a quick shower as they were both sweaty from all the fun they had while dancing. Around an hour later, we left them with Edward's parents and made our way back to the room.

We called room service to have some wine and a few snacks sent up and enjoyed them while we relaxed.

I was so glad to finally be alone with Edward and I wasn't nervous, shy or scared. I had always loved him and to hear that he loved me too, I was even more ready for the next stage of our relationship to develop. Plus, as Alice had said, I owed him some apologies.

"I love you," Edward whispered in my ear as he rubbed my arms.

I turned around to face him. "I love you, too." Leaning into him, I lifting my face and waited for a kiss.

He didn't disappoint me. His tongue slipped into my mouth and desire flowed through my body as every nerve ending lit up with fire.

Edward pulled away and kissed along my jaw line until he reached my ear and whispered, "Isabella, you're so beautiful tonight. Did you choose this dress because you knew blue was my favorite color?" He kissed my ear and I shivered.

"Yes," I answered quietly.

His hands teased my hips and moved until they were behind me and then tugged at my zipper.

"Do you know what it was like for me to see you dressed like this tonight and not be able to touch you? The way your breasts called out to me to suck them into my mouth, but I couldn't." He slowly lowered the zipper some more and continued. "I wanted to taste them night, Bella. I wanted to do so many things to your body."

"Edward," I sighed and pulled his jacket off of his shoulders, letting it fall to the floor. I began to remove his tie.

"The crystals along the straps of your dress teased me because they showed me the path I wanted my mouth to take when I lick you from your collarbone and across your back until I reach your waist." Edward Cullen was a man of his word. He began with a kiss to my collarbone and followed the strap with his tongue, occasionally stopping to suck or nip my skin a few times. He was behind me at that point, so I reached back to take his belt off.

I turned my head and kissed his jaw, whispering my words of love to him.

"You body has curves that I don't remember you having, I'm mesmerized by them. I want to run my hands over every dip and valley and feel your silky skin with the palms of my hands. I plan to learn more about your body than my own, because I plan to worship it every chance I get."

He slowly pulled the straps off my shoulders and took his time undressing me.

"You're the only person to have ever had my heart, Bella." He walked around me and pulled my dress away from my chest and then leaned forward to place a kiss on my heart. "Thank you for giving me your heart in return. I promise to cherish it forever because it's your heart that keeps mine beating. It's your love that I've needed. It's your body that I crave."

I looked into his eyes and saw everything I needed to see in that moment. He wasn't just saying these words, he meant them with every ounce of love he had for me.

"I'm yours. We'll never make the same mistakes again. I trust and love you more than I can say," I said as I looked into his eyes so he could see my conviction. We kissed again and eventually our clothes and shoes ended up on the floor.

Our hands were everywhere and our mouths were desperately telling each other that our pasts no longer mattered, that it was the future we should focus on. Reaching up, he turned me away from him and removed my hair from the twist I had put it in earlier. Once it was down, he used his fingers to brush it out, and massaged my scalp while leaving kisses along my shoulders and neck.

Edward tried pulling me to the bed, but I had some apologizing I needed to do first. I pulled him towards the chair in the corner of the room. _That'll do._

"What's wrong, Bizz?" He had a worried look on his face. I pulled his mouth down to mine until I felt his body relax.

"Nothing's wrong, but I owe you an apology for teasing you earlier and I plan to do just that, Cullen."

I sat him in the chair and knelt between his legs. The floor wasn't as comfortable as I hoped it would be so I sprang back up to grab a pillow off the bed.

"Nice ass." Edward chuckled at his joke.

I stopped and looked over my shoulder at him. I ran my hand in a circle around my hip and ass, and then wiggled it for him.

"I'm glad you like what you see, _sugar_. I think yours is pretty _sweet_ too."

"Oh God, Bella. Please tell me you didn't just say that?" He laughed and I watched as his dick bounced up and down, licking my lips.

"I did. What are you going to do about it?" I grabbed the pillow and walked back over to where he sat. After getting comfortable again, I reached for his right foot and placed it on my shoulder, spreading his legs apart further.

"I'm… um… I will…" He sputtered. I had him where I wanted him.

I walked my fingers up his leg and stopped at his knee where I placed a kiss and looked up at him.

"I'm sorry for teasing you, Edward. I hope once your dick is in my mouth you can find it in you to forgive me." I knew I was being mean and teasing him with my words, but he was just too damn easy to play with.

"Fuck." Edward reached down and twisted his hands in my hair. "Bella, please, you can't say shit like that to me. You almost made me cum with just your words. Please let me keep some dignity, baby."

He let go of my hands and used them to pull me onto his lap, straddling him. I could feel his dick pressing up against me and I could very easily slip him inside me.

I leaned forward and bit his neck lightly. Edward wanted none of that and pulled me a little higher and attached his mouth to mine. I could feel him at my entrance, just barely inside and I wanted to sink down onto him the rest of the way, but he held me too tightly.

"Bella…" He groaned between kisses.

"Oh, God, Edward." It was hard to think, but I knew what I had to do. I pulled away from him and heard him let out a frustrated sigh.

"You're going to be the death of me, woman."

"Sorry." I smiled up at him then leaned forward and took him into my mouth. I wasn't sorry at all.

I was distracted for a few seconds by my taste on him. I knew some women liked tasting themselves on their man, but I was not one of them. Once it was just his flavor, I relished the taste.

My hands moved up and down along his thighs and I used my left hand to hold the base of his shaft that wouldn't fit in my mouth. His hands found their way into my hair, guiding me while he encouraged me with groans.

I moved my tongue from tip to base and even a little lower at times to caress his balls. I let go with my hands and moved them outwards to spread his legs apart even farther. I rested one of them on the arm of the chair to fully expose him to me. I think I may have drooled a little and prayed that I would remember our day forever. _Shit, he was gorgeous. Mine._

I looked at him and found he was already staring at me with a devilish smirk.

"Like what you see, darling?"

"Uh huh, and I'm going to lick every… inch… of it too, baby." I was a woman of my word.

I licked and sucked, nipped and touched every inch of his body, from his chest to his toes until I made my way back to where we both wanted me to be. Edward started to whimper and begged me not to stop which caused me to pick up my pace. Before long, his loud moans filled the air and when he came in my mouth, I swallowed it, but I didn't stop there.

I pulled his ass to the edge of the chair and licked from top of his foot, up his leg and to his softening dick. I was determined to apologize a second time.

Taking him into my mouth, I used my fingers to massage and stimulate his balls. I knew that would make him hard again.

Edward had different plans, though. I suddenly found myself lying on our bed with Edward's face between my legs.

"Hey, no fair," I pouted and squirmed, I wanted to finish him off again.

"Shh, just enjoy it." His breath brushed against my thigh.

And I did. For about two minutes until the phone in our room rang and we were informed that MC had a nightmare and she wanted us to come upstairs and get her.

He frantically got dressed in his sleep pants, a t-shirt and was out the door before I was ready.

"Edward! Wait for me," I said loudly enough to stop him in his rush to leave.

"Shit, I'm sorry. I just want to get to her. Are you ready now?" He finally met my eyes and I leaned up and kissed him.

"Sweetie, I know you're worried, but really, we both need to clean up for a second and I want to brush my teeth." I giggled and took his hand. "Come on."

Ten minutes later my hair was in a ponytail and I had minty fresh breath. Standing hand in hand we waited in the hallway for their door to open.

Makenna had sad eyes as she was hugging my daughter. MC looked up through her teary eyes when she saw us, let go and rushed to Edward's side. He immediately picked her up and she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Shh, baby, it's okay. I've got you now. Shh." He cooed in her ear, patting her back and swaying. "Shh, let's go back to our room. Makenna, do you want to come with us or stay here?" He bounced MC a little as he waited for his daughter's answer.

Makenna walked up to him and rubbed MC's leg. "I told you Daddy was coming. It's okay now. Let's go back to our room." She reached for their bag and I took it from her.

We said goodbye and thanked them for calling us. Esme said she was sorry for ruining our night and Edward told her our girls always came first.

I held Makenna's hand as we rode in the elevator. Upon entering our room, I set their bag down and sat on the bed. MC was no longer crying, but refused to let go of him. She tightened her arms around Edward's neck and he looked at me with sad eyes. I knew what he wanted and I nodded in agreement.

"Girls, why don't you just sleep with us tonight, okay?" I asked and they both agreed.

I scooted back onto my pillow and Makenna joined me. Edward, with MC still gripping his neck, awkwardly sat down, and then leaned back. She curled herself up onto his chest.

"I love you, Bella," Edward said as he reached for my hand. I squeezed it and returned his sentiment.

Makenna's breaths started to become shallow giving away how sleepy she was. We both told her we loved her and wished her good dreams. I pulled her to my chest and played with her hair until she was dreaming.

I fought hard to keep from going to sleep, wanting to be there for MC, but I knew she had what, or I should say _who, _she needed. The whispered conversation between Edward and MC voicing their love for each other put me at ease and allowed me to give in. I closed my eyes and drifted off into a peaceful sleep with my family tucked in beside me. I didn't need dreams any more because I was living a dream come true.

**A/N: Cockblocked again, huh? ***points at each other*** It's **_**her**_** fault!**

**Stay with us for one more chapter and we'll make **_**YOUR**_** dreams come true… well, maybe not, but they do get it on. Just saying…**

**Happy 4****th**** of July weekend!**

**Thanks for reading. If you have the time, please review and we'll send you a teaser for the next chapter.**


	16. Fucking Perfect

**Thank you to our beta LZTZ, and prereader tanglingshadows, for their help and support.**

**Disclaimer: We don't own Twilight, but it owns us.**

**Chapter 16 – Fucking Perfect**

_**Bella**_

I had to admit Edward and I were more than a little excited for our plans, but the girls were almost as excited as us. Emmett and Rose had asked to spend some time with Makenna and MC over the weekend. They wanted to get to know the girls better, so Rose had taken that night off and they made plans to take them to dinner and a movie, and then hang out at their house later.

Happiness was an emotion that dominated my body. I was happy and content in my decision to enter into an all encompassing relationship with Edward. Was there really a decision to be made? No, not really.

With the girls away for the evening, Edward and I would be able to spend some adult time together. We had spent several nights at each other's place, but had kept our time together to PG-13. I hoped for rated R very soon, well really, we needed to increase our rating before we both spontaneously combusted. My wallet was already going to be paying the price for all the excess water I'd been using during my showers, taking matters into my own hands. _Literally._

Earlier in the morning, Alice and I made a short trip to the mall, Victoria Secret's, to be more specific.

"Wow, Bella, you look beautiful," Alice said as I tried on the third bra and panty set. It was purple and black plaid, and perfect; Edward would go crazy when he saw me!

"Thanks, Allie. I must admit that I'm thinking about buying a few more sets so we can have a little variety." I gave her a cheesy smile and a wink.

She returned my smile and then some. Alice knew, without a doubt, Edward and I would be together for the long haul; there was no stopping us. I couldn't see myself ever being without him again, which gave me the perfect excuse to buy pink, red, white and purple sets. _I mean, it's just an investment in our future, right?_

"So, where's he taking you tonight?"

"Okay, so you know how Edward is, right?" She nodded and rolled her eyes. "He started dropping hints about these huge plans and surprise dinner. I had to step in and tell him I didn't want all that stuff. We agreed to just pick up dinner and take it back to his condo. I would've settled for a pizza, but he said there's no way we were just eating that. So, we're ordering from an Italian restaurant near his place and just enjoying a kid free night together," I said as I removed the purple set, put my clothes back on and walked over to Alice's dressing room.

"He's over thinking it, huh? I can see why he wants to make everything perfect, but sometimes perfection is just too complicated. I think simple is better. So, are you nervous?" Alice twirled around in her own racy outfit that would make Jasper a happy man for sure.

"No, not at all. I still feel like I'm dreaming most days, but then I remember that he's really back; we're together and happier than ever before. Neither of us is willing to make the same mistakes or go backwards again and it feels like there's no limit to how far we can go. Does that make any sense?"

"Yep and I might have mentioned to you years ago that the two of you were meant to be together. I can't believe it's taken this long, but it doesn't really matter now. Just enjoy each day as it comes." She reached out for a little black set, and I do mean little, and then raced back into the dressing room. If she didn't buy it, I would. There's nothing wrong with trying to mix things up to keep my man happy.

After shopping and swinging by Alice's store to pick out some shoes, we went to Starbuck's to enjoy a coffee, all the while giggling like school girls when we hugged goodbye.

Later that evening, we dropped Makenna and MC off at Emmett's house and stayed for a drink. He kept making sexual comments under his breath and Edward just laughed, shaking his head. Seeing him act lighthearted and young just made me more anxious to get back home and start our evening.

_I couldn't wait for him to see me wearing my new purple bra and tiny panties._

I giggled at my thoughts and then felt a bump against my shoulder. Looking up into Edward's eyes made my smile increase tenfold.

"What are you giggling about, sunshine?" Edward whispered in my ear, causing me to shiver.

"Sunshine?"

"Yes, you're glowing. What's going on in that mind of yours?" He kissed my neck.

"Oh, you'll find out later," I answered teasingly.

"Are you ready? I can't wait to get you alone." He tilted my chin to make me look into his eyes. "Love you."

I smiled and said, "I love you more." Of course, I couldn't resist a small kiss.

"Alright. Let's go, sunny." He linked our fingers together and gave them a squeeze.

Edward laughed and we said our goodbyes to the girls and drove to the restaurant. I didn't want to waste any additional time, so I called in our order so it would be ready for us when we arrived to take home with us.

After settling in at the dinner table with salad, lasagna, breadsticks and cannolis, we enjoyed talking about anything and everything that came to our minds. I couldn't remember a time when I truly enjoyed myself as much as I did when eating with him. I had just as much fun cleaning up our dishes at the sink, of course, as all the small touches, shared kisses and the one major make out session helped.

It wasn't long after that I found myself walking hand in hand down the hallway and into his bedroom. It took us a little longer to get there than I wanted, but when he would stop and pull me into a blazing kiss it was hard to remember where we were going. I could feel my heart speeding up its beats, my excitement and anticipation so high that it was difficult not to run to his room between our kisses.

We stopped just inside the doorway and I looked around. Apparently Edward couldn't stop himself from setting a romantic mood. When he had excused himself earlier to use the restroom, he had in fact snuck in here to light candles along every flat surface of the room. I could see the candlelight flickering from the bathroom as well. The scent of vanilla was in the air and the soft music from his iPod enhanced my senses even more.

"You didn't have to do this, you know?" I said with a surprised excitement as I started to reach for his shirt and hooked my thumbs underneath to rub the skin on his sides.

"I know," he said matching the excitement in my voice, while bending down to kiss my forehead. "We need to make new memories together and I want us to look back years from now and remember tonight as the first of many nights we'll spend together. We deserve this and more. I'm so sorry it's taken us so long to get back here, but I'll never take you for granted again, Bella. You're my life… my love, and you're everything that's important to me. We may not be living together or married, but I want you to know that's what I see in our future. You'll be my wife someday and I'll be your husband... I don't care if it takes us months to get there or years, but I have faith in us. When I close my eyes, I can see it all. It's within our reach, sweetheart, and we'll get there together."

"I love you, Edward," I said as I began tracing the skin along his lower back.

"I love you more, Bella," he whispered as his arms tightened around my waist, pulling my body closer to his.

His tongue slid along my bottom lip and I felt him slowly gliding his fingers up to my neck, using his thumbs against my chin to lean my head back farther to deepen our kiss. I gripped the edge of his shirt and raised it along his waist and to his chest. I stopped for a few seconds to scrape my nails over his nipples and felt his erection press harder against me.

I had to break our kiss to remove his shirt completely, pulling his hands from my neck and yanking the material over his head. When we locked eyes again, his green with my brown, I felt as if the universe had finally been righted. We belonged to together in every way possible and there was no stopping us tonight. We didn't have the willpower to hold back any longer. Our mutual desire could be measured by every whispered word, each touch and by the kisses we shared.

I tip toed so I could kiss the bottom of his chin and felt Edward's fingers unbuttoning my grey shirt. After each button was released, he kissed the skin that was revealed. After the fourth one, I heard him moan and the next thing I knew, I was being lifted into his arms and carried to his bed.

Laying me down in the middle, he said in a deep voice that fueled my longing for him, "Well, well, well, Isabella. What do we have here?"

I looked from his eyes to his lips and then around his chest and back again. "You're not the only one with secrets, Dr. Cullen. You sneak away to light candles and I buy pretty undergarments." I giggled at the grin on his face.

"Do you like it, babe? I picked out the colors just for you." I pulled him down so he rested his weight on me, but straddled my left leg and I spoke in my best sexy whisper, "I bought a few other as well, but I wanted to start with the purple and black set first."

I felt Edward grinding himself against my thigh. I could feel his need for me throughout my body, igniting in me like a wildfire.

"Hmm, well I don't know. I need to see the panties first if you want to hear my honest opinion. Let's see here…" He finished the last buttons and pulled the shirt away from my body and threw it on the floor. The color of his hair mixing with the light from the candles was distracting me until I felt him flicking the button on my jeans open and lowering the zipper.

He placed a kiss along my hip bones to my naval. I could feel him lifting me up slightly to pull my jeans down, only stopping to remove my shoes as well. "Oh… fucking hell, Bizzy! These are the sexiest damn things I've ever seen."

Edward stood from the bed and reached over into his nightstand and grabbed a bottle of lotion.

"You're making it very hard for me to take my time with you. Rollover, Bella," he demanded.

I did as I was told and felt coldness on the soles of my feet, presumably from the lotion. Edward spent the next twenty minutes massaging me from my feet to my shoulders. He unhooked my bra, but didn't remove it and kissed along my spine.

"You're so fucking sexy, woman. How the fuck did I get so lucky?" I groaned in response and he gently rolled me over onto my back. I slid the straps of my bra from my arms and tossed it onto the floor with our clothes.

"God, I fucking love you so much," I said as I sat up to reach for the button on his pants. "Thank you for the massage, but I need more. I want to feel you inside of me and I can't wait much longer." I pulled his zipper down and he helped me remove his pants, taking his black boxers and shoes along with them.

He was like a Greek God and I wanted to worship him. I hurried into a kneeling position, mirroring him in the center of his bed, and leaned down to lick the underside of his dick. He thrusted his hips towards me, and stopped abruptly, then pulled my face up to him in a fierce kiss, tangling his hands into my hair. I slipped my tongue into his mouth and could taste the wine we'd shared during dinner.

"Not tonight, baby. I'm too worked up and would cum like a fourteen year old within seconds. I want to savor you and take my time." I started to pull my panties down and he wasn't happy with me and pushed my hands away. Edward took over and I steadied myself using his shoulders to lift up so he could add them to the top of the clothes pile.

We were completely naked in front of each other and our hands were like magnets reaching out to touch one another. His skin was muscular and firm, but smooth and warm. My hands wrapped around his neck and played with the hair.

His fingers worked their way down to my ass; one stayed and kneaded my muscles while the other brushed along the skin on my hip. Then he teased the area between my legs which I parted to allow him more room to move. I brought one hand down, dragging just one finger from his neck, over his chest and circled his belly button, then followed the line of coarse hair to take his dick in my hand.

Edward was panting after a few strokes up and down his length. He broke our kiss and I opened my eyes to find him already looking at me.

"I can't wait, baby," he groaned, causing me to shiver in anticipation.

I could feel his chest hairs brushing against my nipples as we lowered ourselves down onto the blankets with a thud and laughed at our silliness. That could've accomplished with more grace if we had used an arm to brace our fall. We couldn't be bothered to spend any additional time with something as mundane as pulling down his comforter either.

As he reached into the drawer of his nightstand, I ran my hands over his hips, memorizing his hard, firm muscles underneath my touch. I was lost in the feel of his body and, in my distracted state, I didn't see him moving towards my breasts but rather felt him pull one of my nipples into his mouth. I gasped in response and brought my hands along his back and into his hair to hold him tightly to my body.

He moaned as his fingers tugged at the nipple that wasn't being teased by his tongue.

I spread my legs further apart and nudged him until he responded, settling between them.

Edward pulled away from feasting on my breasts and leaned forward to kiss me until I was dizzy with my need for him. With our lips moving in sync together, I felt his head at my entrance and he pushed in, filling me up until we were completely connected as one. The feeling of him moving inside of me was better than any memory I had from our past.

A tear formed in my eye as the overwhelming feelings of love and devotion took over my emotions. Of course he noticed and wiped it away once it slid down my cheek.

"Are you okay, baby?" He asked between movements. It was hard for me to form words because I was overloaded with feelings. I couldn't answer him. My brain was focused on his movements in and out of me, which were amazingly gentle, while his strong thrusts pushed me down onto the blanket, holding me in place.

"Bella, please, love, talk to me," he whispered through his grunts.

I took a deep breath and answered, "I just missed having you like this. Everything is perfect. We're so fucking perfect together."

"Oh, God…" With that he moved one of my legs higher and rested it around his waist, thrusting deeper inside of me.

I brought my hands down to grab his ass, wanting to feel him firmly on top of me, and felt his powerful thrusts, savoring the feeling of him moving deep within my body. It wasn't long before he was warning me that he may cum and begging me to join him.

I kissed his lips to get his attention. "Not yet, Cullen. I don't want us to be finished yet. Let's try something else first, okay?"

He pulled out of me and looked down at my panting body.

I removed my leg from around him and slowly rolled over onto my stomach. I pushed up and leaned forward to grab the headboard for leverage while I positioned myself on my knees. Looking back at Edward as I slowly spread my knees apart, I winked and motioned with my head for him to continue.

"Jesus, Isabella. Shit..." I felt his knees spreading my legs further apart and his dick was teasing my entrance. In one swift move, we were connected again.

"Fuck!" One of us said, but I wasn't sure if it was me or him.

Edward ran his hands up my body and along my arms to intertwine his fingers with mine, effectively trapping me between his body and the headboard. I was surrounded by him. I turned around to kiss his neck and he moved in response to capture my lips with his.

Our tongues slid against each other, mimicking what was happening below us. The bed bounced and squeaked while the headboard creaked in response to his thrusts. The world disappeared and there was only me, only him, the way it was always meant to be.

We grunted and moaned into each other's mouths, trying to hold on as long as we could. I found my release before Edward did and enjoyed every minute of being with him again.

As we separated I felt a satisfaction that I hadn't in years settle in my soul. We would always have each other and our love would bind us together.

I was sticky, hot and sweaty and suggested a quick shower to rinse off our bodies. We worshiped the other as we washed and rinsed away the soap, sharing kisses and words of love and devotion, while hidden away from the world together in our steamy shower.

Slipping under the covers together, I pulled Edward's face to my chest and placed his ear above my heart.

Speaking softly I said, "It's yours, ya know, and honestly it always has been." I kissed his hair and scratched his back. He purred in response.

"It will belong to you forever and I'm so happy to be in your arms again," I whispered against the top of his head.

He lifted up and looked me directly in the eyes. "I love you, Bella and we _will_ be like this for the rest of our lives. I hope you don't get too tired of me because you're stuck with me forever, too." He kissed me with a passion that ignited my need for him.

We may have just cleaned our bodies in the shower, but we didn't stay clean for very long. It was like that all night, our longing and desire to be together couldn't be stopped by sleepy eyes or tired muscles. I finally fell asleep hours later, refused to pull apart from him, we were joined at the hips, but more importantly, with our hearts.

**~~ E & B ~~**

_**Edward**_

In the past couple of weeks that Bella and I had occasionally spent the night together, I'd come to the conclusion there wasn't anything better than waking up besides your beloved. Feeling their warmth next to you and how they reach out when they wanted reassurance that you were still there. When a mumbled or sighed word was thrown into the mix, it made the experience even better.

In a period of twelve hours, we had broken down the last barriers that surrounded us and could finally say we had given ourselves to each other completely. Making love to her and feeling that shift was so powerful, that despite the pleasure I felt physically, I was emotionally hanging on by a thread. It was more than I ever imagined it would be and another confirmation that I could never be without her again. My mom was correct in her statement at the party; it was only a matter of time before Bella became an official apart of our family.

After I noticed Bella had dozed off, I laid there for awhile just to watch her. I wanted to make sure that I wasn't having a nightmare, where when I woke up in the morning I would be alone again. When I finally convinced my mind that yes it was real, I pulled out of her and went to the bathroom to clean off. I smiled as I climbed back into bed and rested my head on the pillow next to hers. I allowed myself to sleep and dream about the beautiful woman my body was wrapped around. I held her tight with my nose buried in her hair, needing to be completely surrounded by her body, her scent… her everything.

When the sunlight peeked through the window and directly into my eyes, I started to stir and realized we hadn't move an inch all night long. I took in her sweet smell and smiled to myself, my Bella was really here to stay.

Not wanting to wake her up, I untangled my legs from hers and slowly pulled my hands free from the grip she had on me. I got up and closed the curtains to prevent the small gap of sunlight from bothering her. I made my way to the bathroom before going to the kitchen to see what I could make for breakfast.

I glanced at the clock and realized it was still early, so I held off starting my breakfast in bed plan and sat down in the large leather chair in my living room. I picked up the various pages of information and applications I had gathered together, and then read over exactly what would need to be done to enroll in school. Before I filled out anything, I wanted to talk to Bella and get her thoughts on my plans. I had no reason to believe she wouldn't be supportive but if she had reservations, I would be sure to figure out a way to ease her concerns before taking my next step.

I lost track of time reading, and before I knew it, a warm body was sliding into my lap.

"Baby, I didn't even hear you come out of our room." I said as she snuggled closer and caused me to let go of the papers in my hands.

"I woke up alone and missed you. Why didn't you stay with me and give me a proper wakeup kiss?" Bella asked as she placed a kiss on my bare chest then looked up at me with her big, brown eyes.

I leaned down and placed a kiss on the top of her head before I answered.

"You looked so peaceful and I didn't want to disturb you, plus I wanted to surprise you with breakfast in bed. Then maybe I would have shown you how I'm even better in round two, but you ruined that by coming out here, so you'll never know." I teased.

"Round two? Try three or four, Edward. And I'm sure I can make it up to you and show that I'm worthy of another round." She teased back playing with my nipple the whole time.

"Oh Bizz, you'll never have to show me your worthy. I've known since you were sixteen that you're worthy of everything this world has to offer." I pulled Bella's chin up and started to place small kisses on her lips to show her I really meant what I said.

I wanted to bring the moment back to a tender one and not let my hormones take over. Bella didn't see it the same way though, and her hands traveled over my shoulders and down my chest caressing my bare skin as she tried to deepen our kiss.

I didn't want her to feel like I was denying her but needed to slow us down, so I broke away and planted smaller kisses on her lips. As her eyes opened and I could see they were laced with desire but she didn't try and take it any further. She snuggled back into my chest and sighed with contentment.

"What're all these papers, Edward? You don't have to work today, do you?" She asked tentatively.

"Nope, I don't have to work today. They do pertain to work though and I was looking them over because I wanted to talk to about a couple things."

She looked up at me with her eyebrows scrunched together.

"Well, what you see here is some research I've done and an application for me to fill out. I've-"

"An application for what? Are you moving away, again?" She cut me off quickly.

"First of all, you have to know by now that I'm _never_ moving away from you and MC. I told you Bella, you girls are my family now. I will never be complete without you in my life; therefore Makenna and I will never be anywhere you two aren't." I kissed her cheek and felt her body start to relax a little.

I realized I said my plans in the wrong way. With our history, it makes sense her first thought would be I'm leaving her when an application was brought up. Despite the fact she had said she had forgiven me, I knew that only time and my actions would heal the wound I left her with. I may have had her heart, but her head and our memories was something entirely different that we still needed to work on.

"I'm sorry. I should have started that off differently."

"It's okay. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions. Go on, I'm curious now," she said quietly.

I brushed my fingers through her hair to help calm her down and started over.

"Do you remember when you first came over here and saw my diploma? We ended up talking about why I chose Family Practice over a specialty?" She nodded her head against my chest and kissed me.

"Like I said then, nothing ever called to me while I was in school or during my residency. I've never felt like I settled and I have truly enjoyed caring for my patients. But ever since I've been back in Seattle, I felt like I wanted to do more and that I needed to do more in my career in order to truly feel fulfilled with that part of my life."

"You're a great doctor, Edward. I'm sure whatever specialty you're thinking about, you'll be amazing at it," she interjected.

"Well, what I've been thinking about is a specialty, but maybe not one of the kinds you may be thinking. Ever since you told me about Jake's death, I haven't been able to shut off the medically trained side of my brain and I've spent countless hours thinking about how he may have lived if something else could've been done or if there was a cure for cancer."

Bella's breath hitched slightly, she looked up at me with the look of confusion clearly on her face but her eyes were brimming with unleashed tears. I gave her a sad smile in return, knowing I was bringing back somber moments in her life by Jake's name being mentioned.

"I've come to the conclusion that I really want to try to be a part of that field. I want to dedicate myself to try and prevent families from possibly losing a loved one to cancer. When I retire, I want to know that I've had a little piece of the medical world in my hands. I want to look back and know that all the years I dedicated meant something to someone. That's why I want to specialize in Carcinoma and work with cancer research studies."

"Oh Edward, that's so incredible and I'm so proud of you," she softly said and moved to wrap her arms around my neck.

"I haven't done anything yet for you to be proud of me, Bizzy, but thank you. Your approval means everything to me," I whispered as I pulled her in closer.

"Edward Cullen, don't you dare say that. I have so many reasons to be proud of you, and I am. You have become everything you've said you would. You're a dedicated doctor and amazing father. You've taken in my daughter as your own in a short amount of time and even though we've only exchanged the words a couple weeks ago, you've shown me nothing but love since you came back into my life. I will forever be proud of the man you've become."

I sighed in relief as I listened in her words. I may not agree that I was as honorable as she made me sound but I was grateful that she saw me as a man worthy enough of her and her daughter.

"So, how do you make this change? What will you be doing exactly and you really don't have to move, right?" She fired off questions at me causing me to laugh at her outburst of excitement.

I went on to explain how I've come up with a plan where I would cut back my hours at the hospital to part-time and enroll at UW. I wanted to take some classes that were geared towards the areas I would need to be familiar with. According to my calculations, I could be finished in two semesters. I would then look to see if Seattle General had any openings in their research department and if not, I could seek out a private lab or other hospitals that had departments which specialized in the research I was interested in.

With there being at least five levels of the research phase in clinical trials, there were a lot of options for me. It could vary from enrolling subjects into clinical trial testing the effectiveness of state-of-the-art medications or treatments and watching over their progress throughout the process, to documenting and presenting study case results to the FDA for approval for study drugs. I did not have an exact area I wanted to focus on, I just wanted to be a part of the overall process and, in time, I knew I would find which area suited me best.

Bella looked at me with nothing but love and admiration the entire time I talked and vowed to be there for me in whatever way I needed, including helping with Makenna. I knew my parents would be willing to help out but I didn't want to rely on them if I didn't have to. Bella and I may not have been married yet, but she was my partner in every way that counted. Her stating she would be there for me before I even asked meant the world to me. I felt like a weight was lifted off of my shoulders after our conversation.

We sat a while longer just enjoying the comfort of being in each other's arms. I broke our silence by suggesting I make us some breakfast, and then we could enjoy a relaxing bath together.

As I started to walk away Bella called out to me, "Edward."

"Yeah, babe." I looked over my shoulder to respond.

I watched her facial expression change as she looked at me lovingly before she spoke again.

"He'd be proud of you too," she said in a tone so soft I almost missed it.

I could not do anything but nod as I pressed my lips firmly together trying to hold back the emotions that appeared out of nowhere.

Jake had been my inspiration behind my decision and it was one more thing I planned to thank him for.

Making breakfast allowed me to clear my head and return to the blissful state I was in prior to Bella's comment. As we filled ourselves up on waffles, fruit and bacon, we made plans to keep the girls occupied during their spring break. Bella had suggested we talk to Makenna about doing an extracurricular activity since MC would be starting soccer soon as she enjoyed it so much. She thought it would be a great way to help with Makenna's shyness and I couldn't have agreed more.

Bella started our bath as I cleaned up our mess. When I entered the bathroom, she had already removed her shirt and was about to slip into the water. I removed my sweatpants and grabbed a couple things from the cabinet then got in behind her.

I sighed as I felt the hot water hit my skin while Bella's body molded to mine. She hummed showing her feelings of contentment as well.

I loosely gathered her hair, grabbed one of Makenna's hairclips that I had brought with me then swept her hair off her neck. I secured her hair into a messy pile then pulled her further into me so I was leaning back against the tub with her cocooned in my grasp.

"This is so nice, I wish my tub was this big," Bella expressed.

"Guess you'll just have to come over more often then, huh?" I responded as I allowed my eyes to close and relaxation to sweep over me.

"I think I may demand that sleepovers are only allowed here, Cullen."

"If they're going to be anything like last night, then I say sleepover every night," I replied causally, but meant it.

Bella mumbled something like _wouldn't that be nice_ then spoke up to ask, "Do you remember our first time?"

I let out a chuckle.

_Do I remember? How the hell could I forget! _A man never forgets the day he got his rocks off for the first time by something other than his own two hands.

I told her I did remember, and then we replayed the event from the beginning. We shared details of our thoughts and feelings about the night we had not spoken about in years.

We had started dating the day of the Sweetheart Dance and by the time my junior prom rolled around, we both were beyond sexually frustrated. At that point we had rounded a few bases every chance we got, but were desperate for more.

I didn't plan on making it cliché, losing our virginity on prom night, but the perfect opportunity presented itself and we were beyond ready. When Bella told me Charlie had given her permission to stay out later than her normal curfew, I knew I wouldn't let the opportunity to go to waste.

She had driven herself over to Alice's house to get ready and I had picked her up from there. After the dance we exchanged my Volvo for her old, beat up red truck and made our way out to the Jefferson Estate across town. I had parked on the dirt road that led to the rundown mansion and placed a blanket in the bed of her truck before we climbed in.

Thanks to Renee giving Bella a condom '_just keep us safe'_ we had everything covered. Despite the fact it was uncomfortable in the bed of her truck and ended up being fast and messy, we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

There was no way that loving each other that night completely for the first time would not be perfect. My hands caressed every inch of her body as I peppered kisses across her chest and stomach. Her legs were spread open as I pumped my fingers into her.

Our moans left our lips and traveled all the way to the stars.

My hips moved in a learned rhythm and even though she didn't see the proverbial stars of her orgasm, she helped me come apart before her very eyes.

We had no regrets, and we both always said it was perfect.

It was chilly outside that night and our breaths mixed together in the cold air that surrounded us. We wrapped naked bodies tightly in the blanket and looked up to the sky and talked about our future plans.

We didn't know then that our paths would go in separate directions. Both of us were too young and naïve to understand the bigger picture and the decisions we would make a year later, but those same decisions made us who we were. They were wrong in hindsight, but turned out to be right in the long run.

As we took turns washing each other, we reminisced about losing our virginity to one another and the things we did together throughout high school and into college. Jake and Jessica were even brought into the conversation a time or two with no awkwardness between us. It was nice to be able to look back at them in a fond way but only focus on the parts that included us. It made me realize that it really had been her and I all along despite being in relationships with other people.

We made our way out of the tub as the water cooled and ended up lying on my bed to finish our conversation. It was a perfect lazy Sunday and I had my girl in my arms, and as music from my iPod and our hushed words filled the room, we had no cares in the world.

Eventually, we got ready and made a quick salad to take over for dinner with Emmett, Rose and our girls. As we prepared the ingredients we made a plan to try and fit in as many nights to ourselves as we could. We agreed it would be important in building our relationship with having children in the picture. When you are a parent, time alone with your partner is rare at times, but we would make it work and appreciate it even more when it happened.

I had known for years that I was in love with Bella but after the night I had shared with her, my love somehow increased. Our sex was mind blowing but had nothing to do it with the shift that had taken place between us. It was the moments we shared baring our souls to one another, in exchanging hopes and dreams for a future together that changed it all.

It did not matter where we were headed, as long as we were headed there together, with our girls, that was all that mattered.

**A/N: Well, we hope you're not still mad at us for all the cockblocking, but they needed a little more time together before taking this step. **

**We wrote the lemon months ago, in fact, it was the day after the Breaking Dawn honeymoon pictures were leaked. Rob's perfect back muscles and his grunts as he thrusted against Kristen during the small video clip was the best inspiration ever! We hope we made it worth the wait!**

**PhotoBucket has more pictures, but not the leaked BD pics. Sorry! =(**

**Happy Saturday and see y'all next week for a little baby mama drama! As always, thanks for reading. If you have the time, please review and we'll send you a teaser of the next chapter. **


	17. Everyday is a Winding Road

**Thank you to our beta LZTZ, and prereader tanglingshadows, for all of their help and support.**

**Disclaimer: We don't own Twilight, but it owns us.**

**Chapter 17 – Everyday is a Winding Road**

_**Bella**_

Spring was in the air around us. The birds were chirping, flowers bloomed in every color imaginable, and the weather was becoming warmer. I couldn't help but wonder if the reason why I noticed the seasonal changes was because Edward made everything in my life feel new and fulfilled. The direction my life had gone since he return felt refreshing and beautiful.

MC had decided to sign up for soccer and as much as we tried to persuade Makenna, she wouldn't budge. She asked to join the book club at our library and I was able to take her Saturday mornings while Edward took MC to soccer practice. We chose to spend as much time with each other's daughter as we could. We wanted to continue bonding and learning about them as well as giving the girls a chance to learn about us in return.

I had learned that Makenna was an excellent reader, who also had an interest in ballet. I asked her if she was interested in joining a program, and much to my surprise, she agreed. After the current year's recitals were over, her class would begin.

Edward and I were closer than ever before. We spent as much time as possible together as a family, but we also made an effort to spend some time alone. Alice and Esme had excitedly volunteered to watch the girls whenever needed. Occasionally we felt bad having to rely on them to help us out with the girls but we knew how important it was to build a solid foundation for us. We felt in order to make our relationship last long term; we needed to commit to some quality time for ourselves.

I was forced out of my thoughts as the steam from the water hit my face and I had to lean back to keep from getting burned. I sighed as I drained the water from the eggs I was boiling.

The girls and Edward went to the store with my mom to get supplies to decorate our eggs. We planned on spending the evening visiting with her. Makenna and MC wanted to have an egg decorating contest between the four of us with Renee as the judge. She flew in earlier in the morning from Phoenix to spend the weekend with us. The plan was for her to sleep in my office on an air mattress, even though we had objected to that, and Edward was to sleep on my couch until she stepped in and said she would not be offended by us sharing a room. I saw relief flash in his eyes as it was almost painful for us to be separated from the other. We had reached the point where it was rare if we spent a night apart.

When I called my mom and asked her to join us for the holiday she was thrilled and said there was no place she would rather be. Unfortunately, Phil wasn't able come with her due to a tournament his baseball team was participating in. She was excited to see Edward again and to meet his daughter for the first time. When I finally gave in and told her that we reconnected around Valentine's Day, she explained to me that her and my dad always loved Edward and felt like we made a great couple. It felt good to think that my dad would have been proud of my decision to forgive Edward and give him another chance. Her exuberance may have been a little overkill as she met Makenna, but MC told her to calm down, which caused everyone to laugh and return to a normal, happy state.

As I dried the eggs, I thought about all the times I had done this with my parents as a child. I couldn't help but to think about all the Easter egg hunts I participated in around Forks' city square. The Police Officer's Association was a big supporter of the event and my dad always went early to help set up. He normally tried played fair and wouldn't give me pointers to where he had hidden the eggs, but if I gave him my best pout he would always point me in the right direction.

I placed a paper towel in the bottom of a metal bowl and stacked the eggs inside, placing them in the refrigerator when I was done. I made four dozen eggs, one dozen for each of us; we would have plenty of options to present Renee with the best decorated egg of the bunch. I went to my Easter candy stash and pulled out a large chocolate bunny I had secretly planned on eating myself. We would need a prize for the competition so I would have to give it up and hope my egg turned out to be the winner after all.

Earlier that day, Edward let me know Makenna's birthday was coming up soon and that he had invited Jessica and her husband Mike to join the celebration. I didn't say anything to him, but I was curious to see Jessica again and to meet her husband. Edward never had much to say about him but I wanted to see what kind of guy Jessica ended up with. In my opinion, after being with Edward, anyone had to be a step down.

As I waited for my family to return, I decided to make some sugar cookies for the girls to decorate. I pulled out the flour, sugar and other ingredients, as well as my cookie cutters to make them into shapes. My thoughts were full of a constant stream of happiness and contentment. It felt right to be preparing for a holiday that included Edward and Makenna, and with my mom being her it made it even more special.

Forty minutes later, I was pulling another tray of warm cookies out of the oven and heard the front door open. I quickly put the next sheet into the oven to bake. The girls were laughing and Edward and my mom were teasing them. It was music to my ears; my favorite people on the planet were interacting in a manner in which they were always meant to be.

"Momma, we're back," MC called from the living room.

"I'm in here." I answered and moved the cookies onto a rack to cool. I felt a pair of strong arms wind around my waist and a warm kiss on the back of my neck.

"We're home, beautiful," Edward spoke with his lips touching my skin. "I missed you."

"Did you have a good time?" I sighed as I felt his breath against my skin.

"I was surrounded by girls, so of course I had a good time." He joked.

I reached behind me and pinched his sides.

"Ouch!" He hollered as I turned around to face him. "What was that for?" Edward stuck out his bottom lip and pouted.

I couldn't resist tip toeing and kissing it. I moved to his ear and whispered, "I'm the only girl you're allowed to be surrounded by, Dr. Cullen."

"Damn straight, Bizzy. I love when you surround me." He bent down and touched his lips to mine. We were lost in the moment together. My hands slipped underneath of his t-shirt and rubbed his back.

"Ooh, gross!" Makenna said loudly, breaking us apart. Edward looked at her and rolled his eyes. He tipped my chin back up and kissed me again softly and told me he loved me.

"What's gross?" MC just had to ask as she walked into the kitchen.

"Them." Makenna giggled and pointed to us.

"They're not being gross, ladies, that's just what you do when you love someone," my mom explained with a playful tone, following along behind MC.

"No it's really gross, Mimi, and they do it all the time." MC scrunched up her nose and had a disgusted look on her face. Edward and I looked back at each other and busted out laughing. I was engulfed with huge belly laughs that caused my stomach muscles to ache and my eyes to tear up. I hadn't laughed like that in years.

"Well…" Edward said, pulling MC into his arms and trapping her there. "I guess that since I love you I'm supposed to kiss all over you, right?" He laughed some more while she tried to break free and begged Makenna to save her. Too bad Makenna was pointing and making fun of MC to even offer her some help.

I looked over at my mom and she was smiling and giggling at the scene before her. I met her eyes and saw happiness in them. She mouthed _great dad_ and pointed to Edward. I knew she was happy for us.

"Edward stop!" MC pleaded. "I'm going to pee my pants!"

"Am I still gross, baby girl? Tell me the truth and I'll let you go." He kissed her cheeks and forehead between his words.

"You're gross!" MC said laughing harder and trying to hold her stomach. Edward lifted her up into the air and kissed all over her face. He told her that kissing Knight Edward could never be gross and he proved his point by blowing raspberries on her belly.

Makenna ran across the kitchen and tried to tickle Edward to get him to stop. "Daddy, she's going to pee. Let her go! Please Daddy stop. You're not gross!" She hollered loudly. "You win!"

Instantly he stopped kissing MC and let her go. He pulled Makenna closer and kissed the top of her head.

"I knew I wasn't gross, but I can't say the same thing about Bella." I reached out and smacked his shoulder.

He smiled down at me and winked. "What? How do I know you don't have cooties or something? I should be more careful." He leaned down and touched our lips together. "I think I like your cooties though."

The girls giggled and reached into the refrigerator to retrieve the eggs. Renee readied the table while we were goofing off and started adding water and vinegar to the tablets, creating beautiful colors to dye our eggs.

We sat around my kitchen table with dye, crayons, glitter, stickers and everything else we could find to decorate them with. Everyone laughed and talked as if we'd always been together. I looked around me and saw all the faces of my future before me and I knew I could never live another day without being surrounded my by family.

A few hours later Edward was declared the winner, we finished watching _Here Comes Peter Cottontail_ and helped get the girls tucked into bed. My mom wanted to take a bath and then would retire to her room. Edward and I sat holding hands on my couch with me turned towards him. He had his head tipped back and his eyes closed. He looked peaceful. Content. His appearance mirrored my own; he was the reason I was peaceful and content every day for the past few months.

"Did you have fun tonight?" I asked him, lightly rubbing my other hand up and down his thigh.

He opened his eyes and turned to look at me. His green eyes looked tired. I leaned over to kiss his neck and he sighed. "I had a wonderful evening and I can't help but think about all the holidays we'll spend together as a family in the future... I love you, Bella."

I kissed him again and gripped his pants that covered his thigh in my fist. "I love you, Mr. Romantic. Let's go get ready for bed." I pulled him up off the couch and we walked with our arms around each other to the bedroom, kissing as we went. It was a couple of hours before we finally fell asleep tangled up together.

The next morning after watching the girls go crazy rummaging through their Easter Baskets and a small egg hunt in our living room, everyone was showered, dressed and Edward had already styled their hair. I was in awe every time he fixed helped them get ready as not too many dads took the time to help out in such a manner, let alone be great at doing it.

I must admit the girls were adorable. Edward and I took them shopping during the week and they chose the same dress, but in a different color. Apparently that's what best friends do, as Makenna told us. The princess style dresses were white and had a thick colorful sash accentuating the waist, they were perfect for Easter. Various sized polka dots started mid way down the skirt and thickened the closer to the hem line they got. MC chose the magenta one while Makenna choose the turquoise dress. Each girl had a thin, button up white sweater and a white glittery clutch that matched their white sandals.

They were simply adorable.

I chose to wear beige slacks and a pink, short-sleeved cashmere sweater. My hair was pulled back into a loose bun. Edward was dressed in dark jeans and a white button up shirt.

I had decided to invite not only my mom and Alice's family to join us, but also Carlisle, Esme, Emmett and Rose. Everyone was expected around two o'clock and that left us enough time to finish making the food and to get outside to hide the eggs for our official Easter egg hunt. Liam and Ben had been talking about finding eggs for the past week or so.

Edward's parents were the first to arrive and greeted Renee with a huge hug. They had been friends for years and seemed to jump back into step without missing a beat and I was happy for them. My mom had kept tabs on them for years through her other friends from Forks and asked about them on occasion. She thought because we all lived in Seattle that we must have ran into each other time to time, but that was very far from our reality. Esme and Renee chatted on the couch and Carlisle sat at the dining room table talking with Edward some more about his desire to conduct research.

Edward and I had spoken several times about his need to contribute something more in the medical field. I was so proud of him. I understood his need to honor his friend with his passion to keep families from suffering the same fate. He was best friends with Jake and carried an unspoken guilt after basically abandoning him in his time of need. There was nothing further anyone could've done to cure his cancer, I knew that, hell, I had prayed for it daily when he was deteriorating right in front of me. However, Edward wasn't around and if changing his career path helped him accept his failures and move on from them, then I was going to be there supporting him every step along the way.

I heard the telltale laughs coming from my entry way and Liam came running up to me. He was such a sweet, loving two year old, with his bright blue eyes and blond hair. Wrapping his arms around me, he held on tight until I reached down and placed him on my hip.

"Hey, little man!" I said excitedly. "Did you get a visit from the Easter Bunny this morning?"

He nodded his head and said, "Aunt Bellwa, da Easta bunny bringed me wots a candy."

"He did? That's wonderful! You must have been a good boy if the Easter Bunny brought you a basket full of candy, buddy. I'm so proud of you."

Liam nodded his head that he had been good but lost interest talking with me quickly. He ran out back to play with his older brother Ben, MC and Makenna.

Not too much later, Emmett and Rose arrived and we began our traditional egg hunt. Edward and I worked together filling the plastic eggs with candy, stickers, coins, riddles and other things. The kids were excited to see what treasures they would end up with.

We gave each child their own basket to collect their eggs in and let Liam get a head start since he was so much younger than the other kids. It had taken him a few minutes to find around ten eggs and then we let Ben begin his turn. With the skill of a hunter, he found the eggs both high and low. I laughed as he did a little dance after each discovery.

"They're cute, huh?" Edward whispered as he wrapped his arms around my waist from behind. I nodded my head.

"Kenni and MC are getting ready to start. Em is hiding a few more eggs in various places to make it more of a challenge for them." He kissed my neck, lingering against me.

Breathlessly I said, "That's good, baby. They need someone to test their skills." I turned and kissed him on the chin. Movement out of the corner of my eye drew my attention away from him and I noticed my mom watching us closely with a sly smile on her face.

Suddenly I heard clicking against the sidewalk and looked to see my girls running around looking for eggs, laughing and teasing each other. I walked across the yard to join in on the fun and noticed MC holding Liam's hand and was giving him some of the eggs she found. Makenna was so focused on finding her eggs that she didn't even know the rest of us existed. She was in her own little fantasy world.

Speaking of being in their own world, I looked over to see Edward and my mom engaged in a quiet conversation, not aware of anyone else. I was curious, well really I was being nosey and wanted to know what they were talking about, so I quietly walked back over to them.

Edward looked up at me when I was within a few feet and he whispered, "We'll talk about this again soon, okay?"

Renee turned around, spotted me and turned back to face Edward. She nodded her agreement, then hugged me as she walked away to join the kids.

"What was that about? Is everything all right?" I curiously questioned him.

He told me not to worry about it and reached for my hand and led us back to the group. We stood around watching the children finish up their search for eggs.

Not much later I noticed Emmett with a determined look on his face walking towards Rose. I nudged Edward with my elbow to get his attention and jutted my chin out in their direction.

I watched as Emmett kissed Rose on her cheek and handed her a pink, plastic egg. She rolled her eyes and thanked him. Upon opening the egg, she dumped the candy into the palm of her hand and gasped as he knelt down on one knee in front of her. Tears formed in my eyes and spilled onto my cheeks. Edward grasped my hand in his and I looked up into his face as he bent down to quickly kiss me.

We looked back at Rose, Emmett was quietly telling her how much he loved her and would do anything in the world to make sure she was happy.

"I love you with all my heart, Rose. Will you marry me?" He held the diamond ring that had been hidden inside the egg with the Hershey Kisses near her ring finger, waiting for her answer.

The kids were standing near the happy couple like they were watching a movie play out before them.

"Yes." She answered and he slipped the ring on where, I had no doubt it, would stay forever.

Emmett's smile was contagious and I felt myself basking in their love.

Edward pulled me tighter to him and held my head to his chest, kissing my forehead.

"I'm so happy for them," I spoke quietly, kissing above his heart through his white shirt.

He tipped my chin up with a finger and kissed me again. "I'm happy for them too. Someday that will be us and I can't wait, sweetheart."

"I love you," I simply responded. He knew I felt the same way as him.

We walked over to congratulate them and to see the ring Emmett picked out. It was a platinum band with a beautiful heart-shaped diamond, surrounded by smaller diamonds. It looked like it was made just for her. Bold and unique.

The rest of the day was spent eating, drinking and watching the kids play. I loved having everyone with us to celebrate and it made me feel complete to share a holiday with them. I had my girls, our families and friends, but most off all, the love of my life holding my hand.

**~~ E & B ~~**

_**Edward**_

After Easter, April seemed to fly by and before we knew it, May was approaching. Our Saturdays became filled with shuffling our girls around to a soccer game or the library. We also spent the majority of our time planning Makenna's upcoming birthday party. My mom begged and pleaded with us to allow her to co-host and have it at their house. We gave in knowing their enormous backyard would be the perfect place.

Bella and I had to rein my mom back in several times. We didn't think an eight year old's party needed to be a catered event, however, Esme Cullen did. After setting some limits, we were able to plan what we all thought would be an amazing time. Makenna had started to make friends but still needed a push, so we decided to invite her entire class as well as some of MC's friends hoping she would connect with them.

The one guest I was most concerned about coming was Jessica. Makenna's relationship seemed strained a bit during their phone conversations but I knew she was missing her mom. She was anxious to see her and I was hoping that spending some quality time together was just what Makenna needed.

For the past year and a half, I had seen the small changes in Jessica's relationship with our daughter. I didn't grasp exactly the extent of it until we arrived in Seattle and Bella entered our lives. I knew seeing Bella interact with MC made Makenna think about her own relationship with her mom, and of course miss her. Bella and Makenna had become closer with each passing day and it gave me some peace of mind knowing that my daughter would always have Bella as a mother figure. Bella would never replace Jessica, but there was no reason why Makenna couldn't benefit from having them both in her life.

The day of the party started out with commotion. Emmett and I were busy setting up tables, chairs, canopies and whatever else my mom ordered us to do. My dad and the girls were on iCarly decoration duty and placed the show's characters Carly, Sam, Spencer and Freddy's faces on every available surface in the backyard. Bella, Rose and my mom were in the kitchen preparing food for the group of seventeen kids and their parents.

After we got everything in place, I noticed Makenna sitting on the porch swing with Rose. Her shoulders were slumped forward and Rose was rubbing her back consoling her. Emmett and I shared a confused look then walked towards them. Emmett took a seat on the step as I knelt down in front my daughter.

"Kenni Bear, what's wrong?" I asked taking her small hand in my own.

She shrugged her shoulders and I looked to Rose to see if she knew what was going on.

"I think she's just a little nervous about being the center of attention," Rose answered, knowing what I was looking to find out.

"Today is going to be so much fun. Nana and Bella have done a lot planning and you're going to have the best party. Your friends from school are coming because they want to play with you. You have nothing to be nervous about."

She looked up at me and gave a slight crooked grin, the one that reminded me of my own.

"The bounce house with the slide does look like it will be fun," she stated.

We all agreed that it looked fun and encouraged our conversation.

"Did you see how awesome your cake looks? I bet your friends will love it and I know your Nana made sure it's your favorite flavor," Rose said as she brushed the hair away from Makenna's face.

The cake was pretty amazing. On top of the large sheet cake was a computer with an iCarly webpage on the screen made from frosting and the keys spelled out _Happy Birthday Makenna. _It even had an edible mouse attached to it.

"Yeah, I saw it. I bet MC and Bethany will think it's so cool." She replied with a smile.

"Allie helped plan the games for everyone to play which will be a lot of fun, too." I continued to encourage her, hoping to take away her nervousness.

"I can't wait to see Andrew and Noah play the balloon bop one, they play baseball all the time at lunch." Her smile started to brighten as she spoke.

"Hold up… Andrew and Noah? Umm, no one hold me there is going to be little punks here. What boy would want to come to an iCarly party? I just may have to have a little chat with these twerps myself," Emmett said in all seriousness.

"Uncle Em…. please don't embarrass me." Makenna whined. "Noah is my lab partner in science and Andrew sits next to me in class. I invited Liam, Ben, Christian and Nicholas too." She rambled on.

"Are you telling me you never went to any girl parties when you were her age, Emmett?" Rose changed the subject quickly seeing the discomfort on his face as Makenna listed off boy names.

"Heck yeah I did. Sasha Anderson had the best parties because her parents owned the miniature golf place." He paused then mumbled, "Plus she always wore skirts." He wagged his eyebrows and let out a loud laugh.

Emmett looked at me and I couldn't help but join him in laughter, thinking about how obsessed he had been with her. It started in second grade and it lasted through junior high when she moved. My parents had numerous conversations with him about what a _respectable boy_ should act like; it never helped in his case.

"A stud at such a young age, I'm not surprised." Rose said as she shook her head. I glanced at my watched and realized we had spent more time talking then I realized.

"We have to start making the hot dogs now, Kenni Bear. Are you feeling any better?" I asked as I stood up.

"I am, Daddy. I'm going to go find MC so we can try out the bounce house now." Makenna declared as she followed my lead to stand.

We made our way to the grill and Emmett got the food started while I did a double check ensuring everything was in place. I could hear laughter coming from the bounce house and felt better knowing that Makenna was once again excited for her party.

Seeing everything was in order I joined Bella near the gate entrance so we could welcome the guests and direct them into the party. The parents seemed very nice and we were pleased to meet some of the friends Makenna had started to talk about. She had asked if she could have a couple of the girls spend the night for a small sleep over afterward. We planned to stay at my parents instead of shuffling kids back to my place.

When Jessica and Mike arrived, Makenna dropped the food she was eating and ran straight to her mom's awaiting arms. As they embraced, I saw Bella watching their interaction intensely. We had several conversations about Jessica and her part in Makenna's life. Bella gave me some guidance on how to encourage her to keep Jessica a part of her everyday life despite her being so far away. We made sure to have Makenna call her at least once a week, plus we set her up with an email so she could send her mom pictures or a letter when she wanted.

As my mom walked up and greeted Jessica and Mike with a hug, I noticed Bella dropped her head slightly and walked away. I was in a conversation with one of the fellow parents that had just arrived so I couldn't follow her, but was concerned about her sudden change in demeanor.

The party went off without a hitch. The kids enjoyed all the games Alice had planned and the boys didn't seem to mind that most of them were iCarly related and joined in. As expected, the bounce house was a huge hit and some of the parents even took a turn down the slide.

Makenna seemed to be joined at the hip with Jessica and wanted her to play every game, even though there were no other parents playing. Jessica was more than happy to comply and joined in. Mike had come up to me while I was grilling and we exchanged pleasantries. He was a nice guy but we really didn't have much in common. We kept things light, speaking mostly about his work and what places they had traveled to. He had been hired by a company in Chicago so they made plans to be home for the summer.

I made small talk with everyone until I found Bella sitting off to the side picking at the food on her plate. I walked up and pulled a seat out to sit next to her.

"Whatcha' doing over here by yourself, beautiful?" I asked and tugged on her arm to pull her towards me.

"Nothing… just eating." She responded in a monotone voice as she dropped her fork. The food on her plate had not been touched so I knew she was lying.

"Bizzy, what's wrong?"

She sighed and then got up to sit on my lap and put her face into my neck before she spoke.

"I'm just being stupid. I'm sorry." She mumbled against me.

"There's no need to be sorry, Bella. I just want to know what's wrong so I can fix it." I responded.

As she moved her head to look at me the first thing I noticed was a large frown on her face. I puckered my lips wanting a kiss and thought it might help calm her down, while she worked out whatever she wanted to say. She indulged me in a couple of chaste kisses then sat up straighter.

"You really are going to think I'm stupid. I don't even know how to explain this and I feel so childish for acting this way." She briefly paused then let out a breath before she continued. "It's been a little hard to share Makenna today and I didn't really expect that. I know I'm not her mother, but I've come to love her as _my_ daughter. I really haven't ever had to share MC with anyone….. so I don't know how to do it." She looked down embarrassed by what she revealed.

I pulled her chin up to look at me. "Oh Bella, Makenna loves you so much. You've got to know she thinks you walk on water or something. She talks about you non-stop when we aren't with you. Makenna hasn't seen Jessica in six months and she's excited to see her."

Bella's eyes filled with tears that she rushed to wipe away.

"I know it's not a competition between us and I would never want it to be either as Jessica _is_ her mother. It just felt weird that _we_ were the ones that were welcoming the guests and some of them even called me Mrs. Cullen. Then, Jessica showed up and it was clear she wasn't _my_ child. It stung and hurt my feelings but Makenna didn't cause it, no one did. I don't even really know if I'm explaining this right." She shrugged her shoulders and sniffled.

I wanted to jump in but knew she needed to get everything out in order to feel better. I held her tight and waited patiently until she continued.

"Most of MC's life, it's just been her and I. With Jake dying when she was so young and every party that she had, it was me that did it all while having her attached to my side. This is the first party I've been considered a parent in one way, yet just a guest in another." She shrugged.

"Baby, you will never be just a guest. You're a part of me, of us, and everyone knows that including Jessica. She mentioned how great it was that you helped plan the party and how you knew exactly what Makenna would want. I've heard Makenna talk about you non-stop to Jessica today too, pointing out everything you picked out. She adores _you,_ Bella," I said reassuringly.

I hoped I was being clear enough without dismissing what she was feeling. I understood her feelings and knew it would have been difficult if I was the one in her situation. Just as Bella loved Makenna as her own child, I felt the same way towards MC. I'm sure I would have had a hard time sharing her as well.

I knew that was our first hurdle as a blended family and we would get through it because we were all adults who loved the girls and only wanted what was best for them. As I saw it, Makenna was lucky to have an extra set of parents to guide her through her life. With Jake out of the picture, I knew I could give MC the father figure she would need as she grew up, and yet honor Jake's place in her life. It was a great balance for both girls.

"I know she likes me, and I love her _so _much, Edward. Maybe I'm just overreacting."

"She doesn't just _like_ you, Bella. She _loves _you." I stated with conviction. There was no way my daughter simply liked Bella; she was in love with her, maybe just as much as I was.

Our conversation started to stray towards the party itself and she seemed to calm down some. Makenna and several of the kids ran up to where we were, causing Bella to put a strained smile on her face quickly, not wanting them to see she was upset.

"Daddy… Bella… I've been looking everywhere for you guys! Nana says its cake time." She grabbed Bella's hand to pull her off of me. "Come on, Bella; remember we're going to share the computer part."

I said a silent thank you to Makenna as she would never know it, but Bella needed her to do something just like that. She needed to physically see how much Makenna wanted her, not just to share cake. She tugged her towards the cake table with MC pushing her from behind. Bella looked back and gave me a huge smile letting me know she felt the love my daughter was showing her.

Everyone sang happy birthday and watched Makenna's cheeks flush with embarrassment as all eyes were on her. Bella stayed by her side the entire time while I stood back snapping pictures. She declared that it would only be the two of them who were allowed to get a piece of the computer portion of the cake. My girlfriend's smile beamed brighter and she shared a kiss with Makenna when they finished eating.

We moved onto gifts and crowded around Makenna as she tore through each one. The girls in the group ooh'd and aww'd over everything. They were most excited about the Barbie Nail Printer Bella and I picked out and made plans to break it in during their sleep over. She was gracious and thanked everyone, making me proud that she remembered her manners.

After the party died down and guests were leaving, Makenna, MC and the girls that were staying the night played in the bounce house one last time before it was picked up while my dad and I started to clean up. Bella was hauling gifts and the leftover food into the house with my mom when Jessica approached me.

"We're heading back to the hotel now, Edward. I'll be back tomorrow morning, around eleven, to pick up Makenna, if that works for you guys?"

"Yeah that will be perfect. We want to make the girls breakfast before we drop them all off." I answered back and continued what I was doing.

Jessica fidgeted and looked back towards the house quickly before placing a hand on top my arm to stop me from folding up a chair.

"Can you walk me out? I would like to speak to you for a couple minutes."

"Sure." I turned to my dad and asked, "Can you let Bella know where I went, and look after the girls for a couple minutes?"

"Of course, Edward. Goodbye Jessica, it was nice to see you and Mike again."

We walked towards the gate and when we got half way down the driveway, I stopped and turned towards her.

"What's up, Jess?" I was intrigued why she seemed nervous to talk to me. It made me feel a little uncomfortable myself.

She took a deep breath and crossed her arms then glared at me.

"I _finally_ get it. It was _her_ all along, huh? From time to time in college, I used to think you two had a secret thing going on. For the most part, I tried to push past those thoughts and just see it as she was chasing after you because you broke up with her. God, I was a fucking fool from day one." She let out a sarcastic chuckle.

I was clearly confused on where all of that came from and tried not to show the panic that was rising in my chest. I knew there was no way she could know what had happened with Bella before our move, but that was the closest she had ever been to calling me out on it.

"What are you talking about, Jessica?" I rushed out, not knowing how to address her statement.

"I'm talking about Bella. You've always loved her, huh? _She_ is the real reason why you could never fully commit to me." She didn't ask the last part, knowing her statement was indeed correct.

I hung my head and tried to come up with a way to answer her without sounding like a complete asshole. Jessica couldn't have been more right, it was always Bella, but I didn't need to throw that in her face on our daughter's birthday.

"Jess, I'm not really sure what to say. Have I always loved Bella? Yes, I have. I was committed to you but we just didn't connect in the way that a husband and wife needed to and that's why we never became more. I will forever be grateful to you for giving me our daughter, though. Besides, it was only a matter of time until you found Mike. You're meant to be with him… he's perfect for you."

"You're so stupid, Edward. You should have just chased after her then," she said sarcastically. Her body language loosened up and she continued, "I actually like her now so don't fuck it up. Makenna loves her and says Bella treats her good so I want her to stick around for my daughter's sake."

I wanted to scream out that I did chase after her but fate had other plans at the time. I kept my mouth shut instead and let her think whatever she wanted to.

"You're right, though, because I'm meant to be with Mike. I never thought I would say this but I hope you are meant to be with her after all."

"I am, and there's no doubt about that. I plan to be with Bella for a _very_ long time," I declared knowing it was the truth.

"It's great to see you happy. That's really all I ever wanted for you, ya know?"

"Thanks, Jess, and I appreciate it. Thank you for flying out for the party too. Makenna was thrilled that you guys were here. By the way, I'm planning on attending a conference in Joliet in a couple weeks. What would say about me bringing Makenna with me and she could stay with you guys for a couple days?"

"That would be awesome and of course I want to see her. My parents would love to come for a couple days as well since they couldn't make this trip."

"The conference is only two days but I want to go visit with some people while I'm away, so it would be about four days."

"Just email me the dates and we can work out the details. I better go, Mike is waiting. I'll see you guys in the morning."

We said our goodbyes and I walked back towards the house exhausted from the party, yet feeling a little lighter due to my conversation with Jessica. I never saw her as a threat in my relationship with Bella, but her blessing where Makenna was concerned definitely would make my life easier in the long run.

I had already started to plan big things for us all and everyone's blessing would make those plans even better.

**A/N: Jessica Newton; you either like her or hate her. She loves her daughter and in her own way, she is a part of her daughter's life, but Jessica tends to be a little selfish. There's no way to justify her actions. Sorry! We're just indifferent to her. Don't worry; she is not going to have a large part of this story, so you won't be seeing her around very often.**

**PhotoBucket has been updated. Do we even need to mention this every chapter? We update it every week and you should totally check it out.**

**We have some exciting news! We were rec'd by jessypt on The Perv Pack's Smut Shack! **_**Gah!**_** The link is on our profile. Jess is one of our very favorite authors, so if you haven't read The Diner or Seeing Daylight, you have truly missed out. Run, don't walk, to her profile.**

**Thanks for reading. If you have the time, please review and we'll send you a teaser of the next chapter.**


	18. Far Away

**Thank you to our beta LZTZ, and prereader tanglingshadows, for all of their help and support.**

**Disclaimer: We don't own Twilight, but it owns us.**

**Chapter 18 - Far Away**

_**Edward**_

As the announcement, "_Thank you for choosing Delta. Enjoy your time in Chicago," _filled the cabin of airplane, I couldn't help but to allow the excitement of the trip to wash over me. Hearing those words spoken countless times before always made me feel uneasy, but not this time. My time_, not my stay, _in Chicago would be brief, and I wanted it that way more than ever. I would be ecstatic when I was on a plane headed home to Seattle, more importantly, to Bella and MC.

When we arrived at Jessica and Mike's house her parents were the ones to greet us since Jessica was out running an errand. I always had a decent relationship with them, until their daughter and I decided to part ways. They thought we needed to get married because we had a child together and blamed me for not going along with their plan for us. They eventually made peace with our decision and continued to stay in Makenna's life despite their move to Florida several years ago.

While getting Makenna situated, Mr. and Mrs. Stanley were gracious to me while we waited for Jessica to return. She had informed them about my relationship with Bella and they seemed very pleased that Makenna had both Bella and MC in her life.

When Jessica returned I quickly excused myself and said I needed to get going but asked to speak to her alone first.

"Thanks again for keeping Makenna. She's very excited to see you guys and your parents too."

"You don't need to thank me, Edward. She's my daughter, too, and is always welcome here."

"I know that," I said, stalling not sure how much of my plans I wanted to share. "I need to let you know that I don't plan on staying in Joliet for the full four days. I… umm… I'm taking a side trip… to Arizona Friday, but I'll be back here to pick up Makenna on Sunday like we planned."

Jessica scrunched her eyes and gave me a confused look.

"Why the heck are you flying across the country and then back here again, Edward?" She questioned me. "Is there another conference you're attending?"

"No, nothing like that. Bella's mom lives there and I need to go visit her… alone," I answered, feeling slightly awkward that I was telling my ex-girlfriend that news before anyone else.

Jessica's eyes widened and her hand quickly went to cover her mouth.

"Ohmygod, Edward. Are you going to see her mom to ask for permission to marry her?"

"Not exactly. I just need to speak with her in person and I can't bring Makenna along because you know she can't keep a secret. I'm telling you for emergency purposes, of course, but I don't want anyone to know I'll be there."

"You're really going to do it, huh? You're going to marry Bella. Wow… I shouldn't be surprised it's _her _but I wasn't sure if anyone would ever be good enough in your eyes_._"

I knew her statement was in regards to our failed relationship. _Not being good_ _enough _were words thrown in my face numerous times during and after our relationship ended. I refused to go there with her again, and there was no reason to.

"There's no doubt in my mind that Bella is the one for me and when the time's right, yes, I do plan to ask her to be my wife." I simply responded giving Jessica the information she asked without acknowledging her lack of faith in me.

I gave her the information for both of my hotels and my flight information. She had promised not to mention my plans to Makenna and said she wished me well.

After saying a final goodbye to my daughter, I made the hour long drive from Chicago to Joliet. I wanted to call Bella, to hear the voice I was missing so much, but I didn't want to disturb her at work. Instead, I spent the drive going over my plans again and made sure I had thought everything out accordingly.

When I heard that an oncology drug development conference was being held, I felt it was the perfect opportunity to throw myself into carcinoma research. I had already received my acceptance letter from UW and planned to start my first class during the summer session. Dr. Banner was very supportive of my request to decrease my hours in order to accommodate my classes. Originally, I was going to wait until the fall semester to start but Bella suggested I begin over the summer since she would be available to keep Makenna daily. She admitted that she really wanted some quality time with the girls and had started making plans for the things they could do together.

The first day of the conference turned out to be very informative. I had taken down a good amount of notes on subjects that intrigued me. I was sure they would be topics that would come up in the various classes I would be in, but planned to ask my old colleagues about them at dinner that night.

Bella and I had exchanged texts throughout the day and I couldn't wait to get be back to my room to speak to her. We had been together for months and the trip was the first time we had been away from each other for longer than a day. My heart and body were longing for her more than ever and it solidified that going to see Renee was the right thing to do. I was starting to get tired of taking things slow with Bella and figured it was time to do something about it.

Dinner with Evan and Jason ended up being extremely helpful. They took my mind off missing my girls by filling me in on what I had missed in Chicago since my move. We spoke about the subjects covered at the conference in great lengths. We ended up staying in the restaurant until they kicked us out at closing and made plans to meet up for breakfast.

I started to walk towards my hotel a couple blocks away from where we'd eaten dinner and just as I crossed the first intersection, I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket.

_Bizzy._

"Well hello, baby. I knew you wouldn't be able to wait long to talk to me," I answered immediately and waited to hear Bella's response, but instead I got a small laugh.

"Hi, Edward. What're ya doing?" MC asked through her giggles.

I laughed as her sweet voice filled my ears; good thing I didn't say anything inappropriate.

"Hello to you, MC. I've just finished having dinner with some friends. What ya up to, sweetie?"

As much as I wanted to talk to Bella, I was even happier to know that it was MC calling me. I loved and missed her just as much as I missed Makenna. The next trip I had to take there was no way I wouldn't bring all three of them along with me.

MC explained every detail of her day and soccer practice, then expressed her disappointment that I wouldn't be there to see her play in that week's game. She tried to explain how her coach taught her some new moves, but gave up and said she would just show me when I got home.

_Home. My home with my family._

I could hear Bella in the background trying to get her off the phone because she wanted to talk to me herself. MC started to relent and told her mom she needed just one more minute. I did my best to satisfy her and said I couldn't wait to be home to hear all about her game.

As I turned the last corner in front of my hotel, I looked up and noticed that in between two large skyscrapers was a full moon. Its brightness illuminated the night sky causing the water of the river sparkled like diamonds. It was an amazing site.

"I really miss you, Edward." MC sighed and her comment went straight to my heart, breaking it in two.

Before I could respond an idea popped into my head.

"Get your mom and walk to the backyard. There's something I want to show you." I requested.

I stopped dead in my tracks and waited until they made it outside. I knew I still needed to respond to MC, but wanted her to look passed the simple words of _I miss you, too._

The speaker phone clicked on and Bella asked what they were doing outside.

"Can you see the moon, sweetheart?" I said softly to MC.

"Yeah, it's super big and looks neon," she responded. I smiled at her innocent description.

"I can see the moon too, baby. What that means is that we're together right now. I miss and love you both _so_ much, but you know what? Standing here, knowing we're looking at the same thing at the same time makes me feel like I'm right there with you."

"That's really cool, Edward!" She said excitedly. "We really are together, huh? Can you go get Makenna so she can see it too?"

"Not right now, sweetheart, because I'm sure she's already asleep. We'll have to try this again, though, okay?"

"Sure sure," MC responded and I couldn't help but smile at the statement that was once one of Jake's famous lines.

I said goodnight to MC, wishing her sweet dreams and confessing my love for her, and then spoke to Bella for a while. She told me how MC's smile got brighter with my statement about the moon and loving her. Bella said how she had to hold back her tears watching her daughter get that happy. Recently she started to thank me on occasion for loving MC and accepting her. Bella stated she never realized how much MC missed having a father figure in her life and there was no one better for the job than me. It was an opportunity I couldn't be prouder to have and I would never take it lightly.

Bella and I talked about the conference and her day. We brought up random topics, just wanting to keep each other on the phone. Eventually, I had to let her go and get to bed in order to be refreshed for the second day of the conference. I also had a flight to Arizona that Bella had yet find out about.

Day two was just as informative and I had made several new contacts throughout the country. One doctor in particular, Stefan James, was extremely helpful and said he had connections in Seattle at several private labs. We exchanged contact information and he promised to follow up with his colleagues and get back to me. I felt hopeful that things would start to fall into place.

Before checking out of my hotel and making my way to the airport, I sat on the bed and placed a call to Renee. I waited until the last minute to inform her of my visit, not wanting to risk her accidently telling Bella of my plans. It wasn't that I was trying to hide anything from her; it was that I knew she didn't feel it was necessary to say the things I wanted to say to Renee, where I saw it as mandatory.

"Hello." The cheery voice of Renee answered after the second ring.

"Hi, Renee, it's Edward. How're you doing?"

"I'm doing alright, thanks. Is everything okay with Bella and MC?" She tentatively asked, probably wondering why I called.

"Yeah, they're great. I'm actually calling for myself."

"Oh… well, I'm flattered you wanted to talk to me then."

Her comment eased my nervousness and I informed her that I would be passing through Phoenix the next day and was hoping to have lunch with her. Renee seemed a little surprised but said she would love nothing more than to spend some time with me. I went on to explain how I was in Chicago and how Bella didn't know of my trip to Arizona. After a long pause, Renee responded that she was even more intrigued for our lunch date and gave me directions to her favorite restaurant. We exchanged goodbyes and made plans to meet for an early dinner.

The flight to Arizona was delayed due to a bad thunderstorm passing through the Midwest. On top of it that, it was hard not talking to Bella while I was at the airport. I was afraid she would hear the intercom system announcing flights and I would have no explanations as to why I was in the airport two days early.

I couldn't do anything but collapse in bed when I finally arrived at the hotel and enjoyed sleeping in the following day. Before I knew it, the time to meet Renee had come. I had gone over and over in my head what I wanted to say to her but hoped when the time came, the words would flow.

I arrived at Hula's and as soon as I entered the restaurant, I was not only assaulted by the Tiki décor but by Renee herself. Before I could blink, she had me engulfed in her arms in a tight hug.

"I know it's only been a couple weeks since we've seen each other, Edward, but you look like you're glowing even more. My daughter must've listened to my advice on how to keep a man happy." She laughed as my face turned a shade of red in embarrassment.

Renee had always been somewhat flighty, but I don't recall her ever being _that_ open. She seemed very happy and comfortable in her skin. I was glad that she had found happiness after losing Charlie all those years ago.

I returned her greeting and went to check in with the hostess. We decided we would eat first and then have a drink in the bar so Phil could join us when he finished up with the game he was coaching. I was excited to meet him since Bella had filled me in on everything about Phil from how he and Renee met to how active he was in the community. I felt like I already knew him and hoped we would get along.

After ordering our meals, Renee cut to the chase, and called me out on my secretive visit.

"I must say, I've spent time racking my brain on why you'd want to come see me without Bella knowing. Poor Phil, he didn't get any sleep because I couldn't stop yapping. So… Edward, get to it because the suspense is killing me!" She said excitedly.

Renee's enthusiasm was contagious and I was thoroughly excited to be there despite the less than happy things I wanted to say to her.

"Before you get too far ahead of yourself, I wanted to start by letting you know I'm sure you think I'm here to ask for your permission to marry Bella, but I'm not."

She frowned and looked around for the waitress; I assumed she needed to get straight to the cocktails.

"I _do_ want to marry Bella and have every intention to." Her smile reappeared, causing me to have one of my own. "I love your daughter _so_ much, Renee, and your granddaughter, too. I want to do right by them and for that reason, I really felt like I needed to express to _you _how sorry I am for the way I treated Bella and your family in the past."

Renee cut me off. "What are you talking about, Edward? You've done nothing where you'd need to apologize."

God, she was so wrong but I couldn't explain that in depth. I would, however, say as much as I could.

"I did do something wrong… a lot of things actually." I paused before starting at the beginning. "First, let me say that I apologize for missing Charlie's funeral. I was in a really bad place that day and just couldn't make myself go. Charlie deserved more than that from me and I'll tell you, I have already said my apologies to him. I like to believe he understands my reasons, but no matter what, my actions that day were uncalled for and I apologize."

Renee's eyes shined a little brighter, not from happiness, but from the tears she was holding back. She was the one who Bella inherited her emotional side from, and both of them could cry at the drop of a hat.

"He loved you, Edward. You know that right? I remember the first time he found out you kids were an item. He wouldn't stop with the big bad daddy talk about how you weren't good enough for his precious Bella. I ignored him, knowing he was being crazy, of course. A couple months passed and as he got to know you, his perspective changed. It was like pulling teeth with him to admit his impression of you was wrong but once he did, he wouldn't shut up about you. You would've thought he was dating you, not Bella, by how much he talked about you."

As I stayed quiet and listened, I thought about all the ways I went out of my way getting on Charlie's good side. I should have changed my name to _Brown Noser_ instead of Edward Cullen.

"I still don't think you need to apologize to me, Edward, but I'll say I forgive you anyways. I know you and know whatever reason you had to not be there that day is good enough for me. As long as _you_ have made peace with _yourself_, then that's all I need to know."

"I have made peace with it, thanks to spending many visits at Charlie's grave over the years," I responded honestly.

Renee's facial expression softened at my confession.

"I'm glad he has continued to be there for you. I feel his presence all the time and I know he continues to guide me and I'm sure Bella, too, through our lives. I wouldn't doubt he helped bring you back around."

I hoped Renee was right. The thought that Charlie wanted me in Bella's life again was more than I could have ever hoped for.

"Speaking of being in Bella's life again, I need to apologize for that, too. I want you to know I plan to never_ not_ be there for her again. Bella needed me after Charlie's death but I was selfish and put the things I was going through above her needs. By doing that, I let her down and we ended up losing contact. I hate the fact that I was not around when Jake died as well. I can never make up for missing the two times in her life where she hit rock bottom. I can assure you, her, hell even God himself, that I will always be there for her in bad times and better yet, in lots of good times from here on out."

"I have no doubt about that, and I spent a lot of time watching you two together at Easter. I had forgotten how amazing your connection to each other is. You were young, Edward, and you made mistakes. Let them all go and only look forward from here on out because you both deserve that. Make every day count and just do what's best for you both and the girls. You're meant to be a family, and anyone looking at the four of you would know that."

In that moment I became lost in my thoughts of becoming an official family only to be brought back to reality by the vibration of my cell phone tucked away in my pocket. I looked down and smiled.

_**We love you and miss you.**_

It was the reassurance that I always needed, and once again, Bella kept it simple but beautiful. I loved and missed them too.

Renee's words meant so much to me. She was right in terms of needing needed to stop looking backwards and letting my regrets get the best of me. Apologizing to her and getting her forgiveness would definitely help me do that.

"Enough with the apologies, let's talk about something good… when do I get to have you as my son-in-law?" She asked in a sing-song voice.

"Don't you worry, Renee, I'm working on it," I laughed.

Our lunch finished with easy conversations about anything and everything and I enjoyed getting to know even more about her. Phil arrived and joined us for a drink and he ended up being just as nice I thought he would be. At first it was odd to see Renee show affection towards another man. Like she said, I had to stop looking back and needed to look forward, just as she had done.

Just before I paid our bill, I received another text from Bella with a picture of MC. I laughed and turned the phone around to show Renee and Phil. They both chuckled.

We parted ways with hugs, handshakes, and promises to keep our lunch a secret until I was ready to share it with Bella.

That night as I lay in bed exhausted from another cross country flight, I couldn't get past the happy feeling bubbling inside my chest. Renee wanted me as her son-in-law and I wanted to be just that. I couldn't help but to wonder if Bella was ready for that too.

I pulled out my phone and typed out a question that would let me know what she had to say on the subject. Should she respond accordingly, I would know it was time to actually form a plan to make her my bride.

**~~ E & B ~~**

_**Bella**_

Edward had been gone for a few days and I missed him terribly. In a matter of months, I had gone from being single and independent to completely in love, and I couldn't say that I missed the way I used to live.

Although MC was the light of my life for over six years, I didn't feel as if I loved her any less or that sharing my heart with two other people so intimately took away from my love for her. Edward and Makenna enhanced our world and made our lives better in every way. We had a bounce in our steps and a glimmer of hope shining in our eyes. Our hope was that one day we would become a true family.

Our separation from them was harder on MC than it was on me. When we weren't busy with school and work, I tried to spend more time with her by playing games, riding our bikes to the neighborhood park, and baking together like we used to do. I remembered spending time as a teenager cooking with Esme when I visited Edward and such thoughts always brought a smile to my face. I wanted MC, and even Makenna, to have those same types of memories while cooking with me.

The night before, MC moped around the house and after a few hours, I encouraged her to call Edward just to hear his voice. Of course, Edward being the wonderful man that he was, found a way to make us all feel like we were standing right next to each other, versus thousands of miles apart. The only thing that could have made it better would have been talking with Makenna but, since she was with her mom, the opportunity passed us by.

I was excited about starting our weekend because Angela said that her and Ben would be in Seattle the following day and asked to see us. I hadn't seen them in months, so I quickly accepted and we made plans to meet at the park near the piers at noon for lunch. I figured MC could play and get her mind off of missing Edward and Makenna.

We went through our morning routine and went to the local pancake house for breakfast. MC ordered the Smiley Face pancakes while I had a stack of banana ones and we shared a few pieces of bacon and some hash browns between us. I looked up at one point and had to laugh at my daughter when she didn't know she had a milk moustache. Using the camera on my phone, I snapped a quick picture to send to Edward, wanting to keep him included in our day. After she saw the picture, MC wiped it away giggling at herself and she made sure I saved it so she could show Makenna when she returned.

An hour later, we arrived at the park and walked to where Angela and Ben agreed to meet us. They weren't there yet, but we were a few minutes earlier than I thought we would be. Having some time to spare, I held MC's hand, swinging it between us, and walked us over to the water to watch it lap against the shoreline. Other than the birds and a few joggers, it was very quiet and peaceful.

I used the down time to send another text to Edward. He didn't respond right away, but I had no doubt he would. Exchanging texts felt like a lifeline between us, and I couldn't help myself but to send random messages to him frequently. They varied from sweet, flirty, sad, reassuring or funny, yet always left me wanting more. During these silent conversations, we were able to keep in touch more often than if we had to rely solely on phone calls and emails, as he attended various sessions throughout his day.

One thing we tried, and enjoyed, on his second night away was Skype. Neither of us had used it before but, once we figured it out, it was amazing to feel our connection again and see his green eyes and sloppy hair before me. My body instantly calmed in the realization that he was safe and well.

"Hey Bella," Angela said as she patted my shoulder to get my attention.

"Hi," I responded with a hug. I felt MC wrap her arms around my waist and I reached down to pull her between us.

"Oh, gosh, MC…you're getting so tall. Turn around and let me get a look at you." She reached for her hand and twirled her in a circle as if MC were a ballet dancer, until she was dizzy.

"Uh… uh… uh…. I'm spinning all around in my head… whoa…" She was acting a little bit, I knew, but it was still funny. My girl always had a terrific sense of humor.

Angela looked her up and down again and asked MC to stand close to her. Using her body as if it were measuring tape, she measured how tall MC was compared to her and declared that she had to have grown five inches since the last time she saw her. Angela was kidding, but MC stood up a little more straight and proud.

"Hi, Ben. How are you?" His dark hair blew lightly in the wind.

Ben was a great guy and they had dated for a few years before he asked her for her hand in marriage. I was a bridesmaid in their wedding several years ago and I knew they'd always be together. They were one of the most loving couples that I knew.

"I'm great, Bella. Looks like you girls are good as well," Ben stated. I nodded my head to agree with him.

"So, MC," Angela added. "I didn't know your mom here…" She used her thumb, pointing it towards me, "could braid hair. I remember you always had ponytails." Angela used to always tease me because I wasn't into styling my hair like my friends had bee.

"Edward tried to teach her. He's still better than her." She stated proudly, with a huge smile gracing her youthful face. It was that smile which always reminded me of Jake.

We all laughed together and slowly walked over to a nearby picnic table close to the playground. MC was bouncing in her seat, vibrating with the need to go play. After giving her some rules, I let her go while I spoke with my friends, but kept a close eye on her anyways. You could never be too careful.

It was nice to be able to put on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, as the weather was in the seventies. I still chose to wear a light sweater, but MC would be running around and would get too hot if she wore anything other than a t-shirt with her shorts. She chose her new iCarly shirt that we bought when I was trying to cheer her up.

My phone buzzed in my pocket and I pulled it out to find a new text from Edward.

_I miss u 2. btw save memorial day wkend 4 me. got big plans 4 just the 2 of us ~ Dr. E. Cullen_

Any plans that included Edward sounded fabulous to me, so I responded quickly and told him.

I noticed he hadn't been texting as much as he was his first few days after he left, but knew how excited he was about the conference. He would be flying home with Makenna that next day and I couldn't wait to see their faces and wrap them up in a tight hug, never letting them leave us again. _Families should be together, right?_

"What has you smiling?" Ben asked with a chuckle.

"Edward." My smile grew after saying his name, but my heart felt like it was missing a piece of itself.

"Ah, I knew it had to be a man who put that smile on your face." Ben laughed and looked over towards his wife. She rolled her eyes at him, but failed to contain her own smile.

MC was flying down the slide, as soon as her feet touched the ground she took off at full speed running for the monkey bars. She stopped to waive at us and I blew her a kiss.

I answered Ben, "Yes, it's a _man_ who made me smile. Get over it already." I laughed, shaking my head from side to side. "He's a great guy and he makes me smile a lot." I shrugged. "You need to get used to it, buddy."

"Wow, Bella, you really do look happy, girl. Last time we talked about Edward, you were still a little unsure about what to do. How'd you get this far so fast? Not that it's a bad thing," Angela said with a tone of curiosity in her voice.

"Ah, man, I'm not going to be stuck here listening to girl talk, am I?" Ben groaned and pretended to stand up. Angela swatted his butt and he sat back down again, as he pretended to be in pain. "Ang, I told you that you need to stop beating me up in front of our friends." He whined and rubbed his butt playfully.

"Well, if you'd just behave I wouldn't have to strong-arm you in front of our friends," she teased.

Ben pouted and told us to continue, but warned that he might lose his man card by the time our conversation ended. Angela told him she threw his card away years ago.

Again, I looked up to find MC and she was swinging and chatting with a little boy who was next to her on his own swing. It appeared as if they were challenging each other to go higher.

"MC! That's high enough," I yelled. She found my eyes and nodded, slowing the pumping of her legs.

"Okay, where were we? Oh, right… Edward." I giggled and shook my head at my girlish response to his name. "I don't know how much you know, Ben, so I'll start at the beginning."

I told him about running into Edward New Year's Eve at Jasper's bar and how I learned that he didn't know Jake passed away.

"Wow. That had to be tough on the poor guy."

I agreed that it was hard on Edward, but we seemed to have made it through somehow. I went on a little about where Edward was the past week and the reason why he chose to attend the conference. Angela and Ben both were amazed by Edward's strength and commitment to honor Jake and the many others who faced such an awful disease.

We continued talking and I told them about us spending time doing fun activities like bowling, eating out and even swimming at Edward's condo.

"It sounds like MC and his daughter really get along well. Is that unusual? I always heard that kids fight and argue and pick on each other." Ben didn't have much experience with kids, so he assumed they didn't get along.

"Well, first of all, I would _never_ let my daughter get away with treating anyone that way. Some parents let their kids get away with bullying and silently encourage that behavior by not nipping it in the butt. It's unacceptable to allow your children to act disrespectful to anyone, no matter what the circumstances are."

"Looks like Principal Black has made an appearance," Angela teased.

I smiled. "I guess so."

"But to answer your question, Ben, the girls are best friends. Makenna is shy, but connected with MC instantly and she never held herself back during their initial time together. They have so much in common from an unhealthy iCarly obsession, which Edward suffers from as well, to reading and just enjoying life. They really are meant to be together and I don't see that bond ever going away. It's cute to watch them whispering and giggling in each other's ear. They both love art, so drawing and painting has recently become a big part of their time together." I could talk about them forever, but chose to stop there.

_I feel like I'm bragging about how great my life is now. Edward and the girls mean everything to me._

"I'm glad. So, how are things with you and Edward? Is it hard getting to know each other again?" Ben asked. For him not wanting to lose his man card, he was certainly engaged in our discussion.

I went on tell him about how we reconnected over the past months and were able to work through some awkward discussions. Recounting our talks with another person made me feel proud of all the work and progress we had made together since nobody, except Alice, knew about how intertwined our past had been. I felt a sense of accomplishment settle over me, and even though I knew we had more work to do, I had the knowledge that we would do it together and become that much stronger.

My eyes met Angela's and she gave me a sweet, simple smile.

We continued to talk for close to an hour and then it was time to go. I told MC she had around ten more minutes to play.

I felt the largest of smiles adorn my face after the last of our conversation faded into the wind. I felt more confident with Edward than I had when I woke up that morning. Talking about our relationship to Angela and Ben, who didn't see us interacting on a daily basis, and receiving nothing but praise was priceless to me.

Ben had surprised me as he finished with, "You didn't have to fall in love with him again, but I'm glad you did."

My response to him was, "I didn't have to fall in love with Edward again because I _never_ stopped loving him."

As we were leaving the park, I knew it was the truth. Loving Edward was the easiest thing to do in my life. It was natural, organic and just a part of who I was and I didn't want it to be any other way. The good news was that Edward reciprocated every emotion I had because we were two sides of the same coin.

Later that night after tucking MC into her bed, I reached for my phone and noticed I had a missed text from Edward from a few hours earlier.

As I read his message, I couldn't tell if he was teasing or not, so I casually responded back and I couldn't help but smile after I hit send.

It wasn't too much later, as I began to doze off, that my phone rang and Edward and I talked until I fell asleep. I dreamt about holding hands and beaches, laughing and kissing.

In the morning of the day Edward and Makenna would return, MC and I decided to spend the day cleaning the house. Well, I decided we were cleaning, she whined, but we worked together and got the job done.

While we were washing the last of the dishes from our lunch, I asked, "Baby girl, so how's school going?"

"I love my teacher, Momma. She's really nice to everyone, well except this boy named Bryce, but he's mean to people, so she has to send him to the office when he pushes them. I like my gym teacher the most. He's really fun." She took a breath. "Art is fun. Last week we got to use charcoal and draw a picture. It was fun."

"Is fun the word of the day?" I teased her and she laughed. "Are you enjoying soccer again this year?"

"I love soccer! It's fun taking Edward with me." She giggled. "At our last practice, Coach Beckman even asked Edward if he could help run drills for her. I didn't like the running drill Edward made us do, but he said he was sorry and would make it up to me with ice cream someday. I told him it was okay, but I still wanted some ice cream." She made us both laugh. If there was one thing my daughter loved, it was a chocolate and vanilla swirled ice cream cone with chocolate sprinkles.

"I bet I know what you'll order," I teased her.

She looked up at me and grinned. "Yep."

That gave me an idea. "Maybe we can stop at the ice cream shop on the way home from the airport. Sound like a good idea?" Like she would say no.

"Makenna said she likes ice cream, too. Can she spend the night tonight?" Her big eyes pleaded with me. Edward and I had already discussed it and they would be sleeping over.

"I talked to him before they got on their plane and he said they were planning on coming back here with us. So, how are you feeling about having Edward and Makenna around all of the time? Are you still okay with it?" I thought I may as well get our conversation moving along. To be a good mom, sometimes you had to ask tough questions and make sure your kids were happy.

"Yeah, I like having them with us," MC answered with some excitement then added in a wishful tone, "I wish they stayed every night." She pressed her lips together tightly and let out a soft sigh.

"You don't feel like I'm not spending enough alone time with you, do you?" I never had to split my attention between a boyfriend and her before and I needed to make sure I wasn't neglecting my daughter.

"Nope. I like Makenna and she's my best friend. Edward is nice to me too. I really like him even though his hair is funny in the morning when he wakes up." She giggled and I busted out laughing.

"It is funny looking, isn't it?" I bumped her shoulder with mine and joined in on her teasing.

"Yeah," she added between laughs.

"All right, so why don't we finish up here and then we'll drive over to the condo and pick up some clothes for Edward and Makenna for tomorrow. If you're good and we finish up quickly, we might have enough time to swim in the pool for a little bit before we leave for the airport. How's that sound?"

"It sounds good."

A few hours later I sat next to Edward holding my ice cream cone while he rubbed circles on the skin of my lower back. He bent over and kissed my neck.

"You smell like chlorine. Did you girls go swimming today?"

I looked up into his beautiful eyes and couldn't resist giving him a quick kiss. "We did."

"You taste like strawberries dipped in chocolate." He quietly moaned as he kissed me again.

I giggled against his lips. "I guess I should since I'm eating chocolate ice cream and I have some of my lip gloss on." I brought my cone up to my mouth and slowly licked the ice cream, never breaking contact with his eyes.

He broke into a mischievous smile and leaned down to whisper in my ear so the girls wouldn't hear him.

"Keep doing that, baby, because it'll just make tonight that much better." He nipped my ear and pulled my ponytail back to make me to look into his eyes again.

"Maybe I'll find something to lick too." He mumbled.

I rolled my eyes playfully and smacked his chest. Looking over at the girls, who had been in their own little world since hugging at the airport, I knew we had a great night ahead of us.

Sometime in the middle of the night I was lying in his arms, exhausted and sweaty. While Edward drifted off to sleep, I held back my giggle as I thought about his text to me and my response.

_do u think u'll marry me sumday ~ Dr. E. Cullen_

**Only if you're lucky.**

**A/N: When will Lady Luck be on his side? Makenna and MC would rather it be soon than later, we suspect.**

**Dear Coach Beckman, Thanks for letting us steal your name. (Inside joke for ladysharkey1's neighbor!)**

**Guess what? There's new pics on PhotoBucket! *GASP* **

**Thanks for reading. If you have the time, please review and we'll send you a teaser of the next chapter.**


	19. The Sweet Escape

**Thank you to our beta LZTZ, and pre-reader tanglingshadows, for their help and support.**

**Disclaimer: We don't own Twilight, but it owns us.**

**Chapter 19 – The Sweet Escape**

_**Bella**_

The waves were a beautiful shade of blue, or were they green? Cerulean? Indigo? Blue Green? _Am I really naming colors from a box of crayons?_ I giggled at my own thoughts and felt Edward's shoulder bump against mine playfully.

"Is something funny, babe?" He took another bite of his sandwich and washed it down with some water. I watched a small drop run down his chin until he wiped it away with the back of his hand.

I took another bite of my turkey and cheese bagel and laughed again. I just couldn't contain my happiness. "I'm sitting under a tree that's probably hundreds of years old, overlooking the water with the man I love sitting next to me and he wants to know why I'm giggling?" I kissed his shoulder. "Add all that to the fact that we're going to Vancouver together on your brand new Harley!" I said excitedly. "I mean, what woman wouldn't want to be sitting on the back of a motorcycle, with her arms wrapped tightly around Edward Cullen's waist for hours? Um, not me." I snorted at my silliness.

"I love seeing you so happy, Bella. Your smile is contagious and I want to see it every day for the rest of my life. I need to have you wrapped around me too," he said as he lowered his voice and continued, "but I know another way I'd like to have you wrapped around me, well, a part of you and me joined together that is."

I was sure my ovaries had just exploded. He was just too damn sexy and he was mine. _Mine. Mine. All mine._

I giggled again which made him roll his eyes as he laughed at me. "I think I want you to show me that later," I whispered and leaned over to nip at the skin along his neck, just below his jaw line. I could not wait to feel his body becoming joined with mine, moving in a timeless dance together, feeling his weight pressing me firmly against the mattress. The sweat on his skin mixing with mine, and I longed to hear the words he whispers against my skin that he says without realizing it.

I moaned.

"Woman, what on earth are you thinking about now?" Edward chuckled.

I placed my uneaten lunch down on the plate, moved to straddle his lap, and ran my hands up along his arms and into the hair at the nape of his neck. I pulled him into a heated kiss and ground my hips against his.

Our arms tightened around each other and our bodies did what came instinctively to us. Too bad my boyfriend couldn't let his mind go far enough inside of our passion filled bubble and stopped us. _Stupid man._

"Baby, not here. There are cars driving by within twenty yards of us and it's not private. Everything that's underneath your clothes belongs to me and I'll be damned if I allow anyone else to see what's mine. Later, baby, I promise." He placed another kiss on my lips, grabbed my hips tightly and pressed me firmly onto his lap so I could feel his desire for me.

"Feel that? It belongs to you too. We have all weekend and I plan to take full advantage of having you to myself," he whispered along my neck, causing my breath to hitch and another moan to escape. "No part of you will be neglected." Edward nipped my chin.

We finished eating, with me still straddling his lap, feeding each other. He and I stuffed the garbage back into a recycled grocery bag and placed it inside one of the two saddle bags he had attached to the Harley. I strapped the backpack around me again and climbed on behind him.

"Oh, Bizz, don't forget you'll need to let Jasper know that he was wrong about buying this without your permission."

Edward had called me earlier that morning and told me to pack _very_ lightly, but wouldn't tell me why. The one thing he requested me to pack was a nice dress. Although I thought it was a little strange, I went along with it. He arrived thirty minutes later, riding up my street on a beautiful, blue motorcycle that hummed a deep rhythm.

It was the single sexiest thing I had ever seen in my entire life.

He pulled up into the driveway, shut the bike off, and removed his black helmet. His hair was a mess, some parts flat while others were wild, until he reached up and nervously pulled his hand through it. His ridiculously gorgeous green eyes met mine.

"So what do you think?" He spoke bashfully.

I looked at the motorcycle and noticed it was a Harley. My boyfriend was riding on a blue Harley. _I must have died and gone to heaven!_

"About what?" I asked, playing dumb.

He rolled his eyes knowingly. "Um, about our new motorcycle," he said softly, looking down to the ground. He toed the driveway with the tip of his boot.

"You bought a Harley, Edward?" I slowly walked towards him.

"Yes," he answered nervously. "Do you like it? I thought we could spend some time together riding it... just me and you." He gave me a hopeful smile, waiting for my reaction.

I reached out to glide my fingers across the handlebars. _ So pretty. _

"You did this for us, baby?" I brought my hands down from the handlebars and glided them along the smooth frame of the bike, until I reached his thigh and then slid my fingertips up his body to his messy hair.

"Yes," he said with more confidence while looking between my eyes, searching for my response.

"I love it, but when did you buy it?" My breath hitched from my desire for him. All kinds of vivid thoughts passed through my mind from truly innocent ones, to downright dirty.

"Yeah, um, well… I ordered it a few weeks ago and I just picked it up last night. I wanted it to be a surprise for you." He looked up and grinned, spreading his arms wide. "Um, surprise…" Edward said slowly.

"It's very pretty, Dr. Cullen," I said with a sassy tone to my voice as I tried to stamp down my need to ride him... _Oops!_ I mean ride his bike! I took a deep breath and focused on his response.

"Our bike is not pretty, Bizzy. It's a Harley for God's sake! They're crafted by the most talented workers in the industry. Please don't insult them by calling their workmanship pretty," he lectured me playfully. I reached behind him and pinched his ass, then I turned to walk inside to get my things, listening to his laughter as I went.

"I'm a girl Edward," I called back from the doorway. "If something's pretty or sparkles, I'm going to like it."

After spending some time showing me the features, including an extra passenger seat added just for me, we packed up what little I could fit inside the saddlebags. I decided to throw on a pair of jeans, grabbed a jacket and we hit the road. I must say that sitting on a motorcycle, tucked closely behind him, was a fantasy of mine. I didn't tell him that, of course, as there was no need to encourage his spending habits.

Edward nudged me and I rubbed up and down his back, returning to the moment with him.

"Um, Edward, I've got news for you. As much as I really love this motorcycle, the next time you think about buying something that costs this much money, without talking to me first, you'll be in the doghouse, buddy."

"Fair enough," he said as he waited for me to put my hair back into a low ponytail. I reached for my helmet and secured it in place. Before Edward put his on, he turned slightly to kiss my lips. "Ready, babe?"

"I'm always ready for you." I winked, brought my hands around his shoulders, down his chest and squeezed tightly around his waist to hold on. I didn't realize how sore my ass was until we started riding again, after spending hours traveling already.

It took us another hour to reach our destination; a family-owned Bed & Breakfast named Cherry Blossoms. It was already late in the afternoon by the time we closed the door and collapsed onto the bed.

Around a half hour later, Edward was placing soft kisses on the exposed skin near my bellybutton. I didn't realize I had fallen asleep.

"Hey, beautiful, it's time to wake up. I brought our stuff in already." He kissed my t-shirt, just above my heart.

I sighed and opened my eyes. Looking around the room, I noticed how beautiful it was. I was lying on top of the Queen sized bed that was covered with a white, and very soft, down comforter. Several white, sage green and peach throw pillows surrounded me, and hand painted onto the wall behind the bed was a Cherry Blossom tree. We had an alcove that housed a white armchair and ottoman, with a window that let in a lot of natural sunlight. The opposite side of the room had a fireplace with a white mantel and a chase lounge in front of it. Looking straight ahead from my perch on the bed, I could see a balcony with a black wrought iron railing that overlooked the swimming pool.

_I think I died and gone to Heaven._

I hadn't checked out the bathroom yet, but I hoped there was a tub large enough for both of us. My body was tired from riding on the bike all day.

My eyes closed as his lips touched mine. We didn't have an agenda and just relished being together, never rushing our movements.

"Hi," I whispered as I pulled away.

Edward smiled; the love he had for me radiated in his every touch, every look he gave me.

"Hi. You want to go eat? I asked Ms. Wilson at the front desk and there's a really nice steakhouse a few blocks away we can walk to. How's that sound? I'm starving and I bet you are too." He emphasized his hunger by trying to eat my neck, which turned into being tortured by him tickling me.

"Stop, Cullen. I'm going to go get ready. I'll be done in about ten minutes, okay?" I asked as I made my way to the bathroom to change my clothes and brush my hair and teeth.

Thirty minutes later, because _Mr. Touchy_ couldn't keep his hands to himself, we gave our name to the hostess.

Edward was dressed casually in a pair khaki shorts and a black polo shirt. I chose a pair of jean capris and a thin, black sweater, over a pink cami. I braided my bangs, angled them to the side and pulled it all back into a messy bun.

We were seated a few minutes later and had ordered a bottle of local wine. While we waited on our appetizer, I took a moment to text Alice and check on the girls. She had volunteered many times to help out with MC and Makenna as long as we reciprocated for them as well. I loved Ben and Liam and jumped at the chance to spend any amount of time with them.

Conversation flowed as easily as the wine. The atmosphere around us was bubbling with energy from the people quietly eating dinner, to a few business men in suits and from an older couple who sat nearby. I stared at them in amazement as they held hands across the table seemingly as much as in love as the day they were married. I could only hope for us to be that we would be happy when we were their age.

He smiled at me and nodded, as if he could read my mind. As I looked at Edward, I knew we would be.

We shared a chocolate lava cake for dessert and sipped on some coffee, continuing our light banter, quiet laughs and quick touches, both above and below the table.

After leaving the restaurant, we walked around the shopping district, looking into various shop windows and pointing out things we liked. Edward had his arm draped over my shoulder, leaning my body into his with my hand tucked into his back pocket. I could feel Edward's muscles flexing through the material and wondered if his ass was sore like mine.

I chuckled, which caused Edward to look down at me and smile. Again.

"I love you, Bella. I don't know if I tell you that enough, so I'm just going to keep saying it… I love you so fucking much." He kissed me. "Thank you for coming away with me. I'm having a great time so far and from the sounds of it, I would bet that you are too. Am I right?"

"I love you, too, Edward, and I'm having a wonderful time." I stopped us in the middle of the sidewalk and tugged him down into another quick kiss.

"What do you think about going swimming when we get back? Ms. Wilson said the pool is heated."

"I would love to, but I didn't pack my swimsuit. Remember you told me I had to pack light?" I frowned because I wanted nothing more than to relax my muscles in the warm water.

"Then why don't we just buy you one, babe? There are plenty of shops around here and I'm sure we can find something you'd like," he suggested and looked around the area we were in.

"Let's try the one over there first," he said, pointing across the street.

The boutique didn't have one, but soon we found a stop which had swimsuit I liked. It wasn't all we purchased that night. As I was trying on a black, two piece bikini in the dressing room, Edward was browsing the intimate section and just happened to come across a sweet, sexy lingerie set that neither of us could resist. It didn't help that as he held it up; Edward used his best puppy dog eyes, his secret weapon that worked like a charm on me. When I agreed, he waggled his eyes in a mischievous manner. He was up to no good and I licked my lips in anticipation of putting it on for him just so he could take it right back off. _Hey, I'm not a dummy!_

With our purchases in the bag that we both held between us, swinging our hands together, we walked back to our B & B.

I took more time to appreciate where we were staying than I did when we had arrived. I first thing I noticed was the humongous Cherry Blossom tree to the right of the cobblestone walkway that led to the burgundy painted front entrance. The walkway was lined on both sides with manicured boxwood bushes, trimmed to a perfect square. The simple country style windows were framed with white shudders, and the same sage green color from our room covered the exterior. The grass was cut so low it looked like carpet; I wanted to take my shoes off and just walk through to feel it between my toes.

I squeezed Edward's hand to get his attention. He stopped walking and looked at me. Smiling, I thanked him again for bringing me here and he lowered his lips to kiss my forehead.

We walked in the door, only to be greeted by the Inn keeper and a warm plate of delicious smelling cookies. She smiled as she offered us one. "Well hello, Mr. and Mrs. Cullen. Did you have a good dinner?"

I responded, "Please, just call us Edward and Bella. Yes, we had a wonderful meal. Thank you for your suggestion because it was truly delicious." I internally laughed at the sound of being called Mrs. Cullen. I knew someday I would be known as that, and honestly, I couldn't wait! When the timing was right, we'd know.

"Well, I'm glad you had a great time. Is there anything I can get for you before you go up to your room?" She asked.

"Actually, you had mentioned the heated pool earlier and we're going to take you up on your offer. Can we both get an extra towel, please?" Edward charmed her into several additional towels, not that his efforts were needed, but he couldn't help himself. He was simply irresistible.

We made it up to our room quickly and changed into our swimwear. I walked out of the bathroom and Edward whistled at me from the bed. He stood quickly and reached over to pick me up then spun me around in a circle.

"You, Mrs. Cullen, are the most beautiful and tempting creature I have ever cast my eyes upon." He chuckled.

"Mrs. Cullen, huh?" I cracked up laughing. "Aren't you getting a little ahead of yourself, Dr. Cullen?"

"Who me? Ms. Wilson started it. I just liked the way it sounds and wanted to give it a test run," he said innocently, pouting like Makenna did when she wanted something.

"Okay, Mr. Puppy Dog Eyes, _whatever_ you say. Let's get down to the swimming pool. I'm dying to relax in the warm water. My butt's still sore from sitting on the motorcycle for so long." I rubbed my ass cheek while I pulled him out of the room and we headed to the stairs to go outside.

The pool area was beautiful and there was only one other couple present, but they were sitting in the hot tub. I walked across the grassy area to reach the pool deck and dipped my toe into the warm water to test it. Edward took my towel and tossed it onto a lounge chair with his.

We held hands as we walked down the steps and into the pool. I instantly felt myself relax from the heat of the water and the soft music that played in the background from somewhere unknown. I assumed they had speakers around, but I couldn't see them. Light instrumental melodies camouflaged the sound of the cars driving by and the words of the people talking as they walked on the sidewalk on the other side of the privacy fence. In the distance we could see dark rain clouds rolling in and we wouldn't have more than an hour or two before it started to rain on us.

Edward slid his arms around my waist, pulling me backwards to relax against him. I leaned my head back to rest on his shoulder and felt him kiss my ear. I could stay like that for the entire weekend and not complain.

"This was the best idea you've ever had. God, this feels so good," I murmured.

Hi arms tightened in response. We sat like that for what seemed like hours. Arms wrapped around my waist holding me like his life depended on me. I knew that I would never want to live without him again, so I guess in a way our lives depended on each other; at least our happiness did.

"You know what I like best about this swimsuit, Bizzy? These." One of Edward's hands traced along the pink border of the material covering my breasts; the other followed the path on the top of my bikini bottoms, both arms moving in tandem, tickling and teasing the sensitive skin. Slowly his hands met at my breasts and then moved up where he gently massaged my neck and shoulders. He applied the right amount of pressure and pushed the last bit of soreness from my body.

The other couple walked inside leaving the hot tub empty and we decided to test it out. On the way, Edward gently spun me around and asked me to dance with him. The whimsical music playing in the background set the perfect romantic mood.

Sliding my hands up and over his shoulders, I pulled him as close to me as I could. We swayed to the music in a perfect rhythm, as if our bodies knew what to do without our minds even having to offer a thought or direction. My fingers laced into the soft hair along his neck and his fingers traced the skin on my lower back.

Sharing chaste kisses and tucking his forehead into the crook of my neck, Edward professed his love for me over and over again. I didn't know how many songs we danced to, but we suddenly felt raindrops falling onto our bodies. Our first reaction was to run inside but as Edward mentioned, we were already wet and since there wasn't any lightening or thunder in the area, we felt safe enough to continue dancing.

Rain rolled down our bodies and it seemed as if God himself was cleansing our past away, offering us a clean slate. A million worries both large and small, washed way from my mind leaving me confident in the direction our relationship was headed.

I tilted my face towards the sky, took a few steps backwards and raised my hands until they were the same height as my shoulders. I spun and twirled around in circles, laughing and giggling, having the time of my life… because I was.

Once my burst of energy diminished, well really it was that I had goose bumps covering my body from the sudden chilliness of the rainy air, we made our way into the hot tub where we stayed until it was dark.

Edward left me once to grab a bottle of wine and a single glass for us to share. We were in our own little world, enjoying our time alone.

When our skin started to look like raisins, we decided to head to our self imposed solitary confinement. We took a quick shower together to wash the chlorine and rain off of our skin, and actually behaved ourselves. There was no need to rush.

While I finished drying my hair, Edward started a fire and pulled a small blanket from the closet. Snuggling against him and tucked safely into his arms, we talked about our children and the merging of our lives. The conversation didn't last long, as we merged our bodies together as well; lost in our love for one another.

I didn't remember how I even made it into bed, but was sure Edward carried me, and I felt a sense of contentment flow through my body. MC was happy and completely smitten with Edward. Her relationship with Makenna couldn't be any better. Makenna and I loved each other deeply and had formed an unbreakable bond.

Looking down at the man whose head rested on my naked stomach, I knew my dreams were coming true. Nothing would ever tear us away from each other. We were solid, dedicated, passionate, committed and most of all, completely and utterly in love.

**~~ E & B ~~**

_**Edward**_

Hand in hand we made our way to the Art and Wine festival held a couple blocks from the B & B. Ms. Wilson had given us a list of activities scheduled in Vancouver over the weekend and we figured the festival would be a great place to look for souvenirs for our girls, as well as check out some local businesses.

After the long motorcycle ride the day before, we wanted some time to just relax and be together. It was nice to have nothing necessarily planned and could just let the day unfold without any structure.

We leisurely walked aisle by aisle, looking at what the venders were selling, and waiting to see if anything would catch our eye. We tried several wines booths and ended up picking up a bottle for ourselves and one for Alice and Jasper. With the endless choices of crafts, clothing and jewelry on display, the girls were easy to shop for. Bella wanted to pick out something special for them, so we choose silver bracelets that had their respective birthstones on them.

I had asked countless times if there was anything she wanted. Each time Bella shook her head, gave me a chaste kiss and stated she only wanted to be with me. Since my girl already had that, she didn't need anything else. I was bound and determined to find her a gift but I knew she would eventually crack and show an interest in something.

We stumbled upon a local artist who seemed to be popular based upon the amount of people coming in and out of his booth. Bella stopped to admire each of the paintings that hung on the wall, and as I watched her, I found more interest in the beautiful woman next to me, rather than the paintings. As we approached the fifth piece, I noticed she stared at it differently than the ones before. Bella's head slightly tilted as her eyes studied the scene. A small smile appeared on her face and I could tell she was trying not to reach out and touch it.

"Do you like this one, Bizzy?" I asked.

"It's very beautiful. I like the soft colors he used, as well as the tranquility it represents. The lone tree stands out in its natural setting as if it's the only thing there. The rocks and ocean are pretty but they're just backdrops for it," she replied without even looking at me. It appeared as if she was captivated by that particular piece and couldn't take her eyes away.

I walked closer to her and wrapped my arms around her waist.

"Let's see if the artist is willing to ship it since I don't think you'll want to hold on to it during our ride back to Seattle," I said with a chuckle at that thought.

She tightened the grip she had on me, which caused our bodies to become flush, and then looked over her shoulder with a shocked expression.

"No way, Edward, did you see the price on this?" She asked in a hushed tone and tried not to bring attention to us.

"Bella, if you want the painting, that's all that matters. Please, let me get it for you." I answered back trying to divert the attention away from the cost. I had seen the price tag and didn't think it was too high, but it was significantly more than you would spend at the average home store.

"It wouldn't even match anything I own and would put my Bed Bath & Beyond paintings to shame too," she whined, trying to list off reasons of why I shouldn't purchase it.

"You never know when you'll want to redecorate," I replied with pleading eyes, hoping to get her to cave. I added in a lower voice, "Or better yet, have a new space to decorate."

"You're crazy and I love you for wanting to buy this for me, but I can't accept it." She shook her head and tried to refrain from looking at the painting again.

"But, Bizzy," I whined my protest, trying to get her to change her mind.

"Nope, let's go. I heard a band playing that I liked. You can buy me their CD since you feel the need to buy me something."

Just as she finished her speech and I told her I was holding her to that, her cell phone rang. She answered it immediately after seeing that it was Renee calling. She stepped out of the booth and when I saw her turn the corner, I turned back around to speak to the artist about buying it.

I knew I was short on time so I handed him my credit card to quickly pay for the painting. While he swiped my card and wrote down my address for shipping, he mentioned he overheard Bella's description of the piece. He said he was thrilled it would be going to someone that saw the same beauty he had when he painted it. The artist went on to explain that it was created at some point on Highway 5. As he gave me a description of the area, it dawned on me that it did look familiar; it should have. It was the place that we had stopped on our way to Vancouver the day before.

I thanked him and told him I would be in contact as soon as we arrived home to set up the delivery. He smiled at me and said to have _my wife_ call him if she wanted to discuss the painting further.

Just as I left, Bella reappeared asking why I didn't follow her. My response was that I wanted to give her some privacy although, from the look on her face, I doubt she believed me.

We continued to check out some of the other local sites Ms. Wilson had suggested. After a light lunch at a small French bistro, we ended up walking the grounds of the Nitobe Memorial Gardens. It was a beautiful Japanese garden with a large stream flowing through the middle of it. There were bridges to walk across where you could enjoy watching the Koi fish swim, as well as several fountains, archways and buildings to view.

Bella and I continued to explore the grounds until we reached a small gazebo nestled in between the trees, surrounded by close to twenty people standing around talking. Not wanting to intrude on what appeared to be a quiet moment, we stopped abruptly without interrupting them. Just as we were about to follow another path, a young looking bride appeared out of nowhere and walked towards the gazebo.

The group smiled at the young woman dressed in a simple, white, flowing dress who held a bouquet of orchids. A man, I would assume no older than twenty, stood proudly in the back of the gazebo but as soon as his bride got close enough, he walked to greet her. He took her hand in his and led her to their place in front of their guests.

I looked over at Bella and saw her watching the couple with happiness written all over her face. I squeezed her hand to get her attention and we exchanged smiles, then stepped back a little so we wouldn't be noticed watching the ceremony.

As I listened, I couldn't help but to wonder when that would be us stating our vows and making an oath to one another. There were no more _if_ we would get to that point, it was only _when_.

Ever since I returned from my trip to see Renee, I brought up our future plans more often, wanting to feel her out further on the subject of marriage. As much as I knew Bella was serious about us, it seemed like she always brushed off my comments as if they were hypothetical. I wasn't sure if she was deflecting so she wouldn't have to flat out say she didn't see things that way for us, or if she didn't sense the sincerity in my statements. Either way, I wasn't too concerned; I knew we would get there when the time was right.

The wedding came to an end and after they left we made our way to sit down on the bench in front of the gazebo.

I wrapped one arm around Bella's body to pull her close to me. With no words spoken between us, I leaned in to brush my lips against hers. She shifted her body to wrap her arms around my shoulders. The kiss was slow as our mouths continued to move in sync together. As soon as Bella wove her fingers into my hair, I couldn't help but moan softly and pushed my tongue into her mouth to deepen the kiss. She let out a whimper and met my tongue with her own.

Our kiss broke when we both needed some air, but we kept our foreheads together and stared into one another's eyes while we waited for our breaths to return to normal. The love and excitement the newlyweds had just experienced must have been surrounding us. Before I knew what I was doing, I blurted out the question that had been on my mind since witnessing their exchange.

"You know, Bella. I'm not getting any younger, why don't you make an honest man out of me and marry me right now?"

Bella rolled her eyes at me. "Awe Edward, are you feeling as old as I am after watching that wedding? They're so young and we…aren't." She laughed.

"No, I'm being serious let's just do it." I squeezed her hand lightly.

"I _am_ serious and didn't you get enough of me last night?" She doubled over in laughter then managed to add, "Wait, unless they give senior citizen discounts on marriage licenses. If so, I'm always up for a bargain. Do you think we'll qualify with your age?"

"You're not funny, Isabella, and age isn't anything but a number, baby. You just wait, I'll make sure to show you how _youthful_ I am tonight."

"I better take you back to the room for your afternoon nap then, old man. I wouldn't want you to fall asleep during your performance." Her laugher turned hysterical and as much as I saw the humor in the subject, I was nowhere as amused as she was but laughed at the sight of her and our banter.

When she settled down, we agreed it was time to head out and I kissed her on the forehead then said, "You may have avoided marrying me today Bella, but I'm relentless. I plan to keep asking you until you agree."

"I wouldn't expect anything less from you and one day I'm sure you'll get the answer you want." She winked at me.

We ended up at a restaurant named The Teahouse for dinner. It overlooked the water, and from our seats on the patio we had the perfect view of the sunset. After we dined on seafood, Bella suggested we take some dessert with us to the room so we could enjoy it with the wine we purchased at the festival. She said she knew the perfect way to finish the day, and the seductive look Bella made caused me to track down our waitress, wanting nothing more than to haul her off to our room as quickly as possible.

We walked to the B & B and as soon as I closed our door, Bella said she was going to slip into something more comfortable and suggested that I should do the same. I unbuttoned my shirt and slid it off my shoulders then placed it on the chair. I shed my pant, shoes and socks, leaving me in just my black boxers.

I pushed the button to start the electric fireplace, wanting some warmth from the chill in the air and to illuminate the room once I turned the lights off. I moved the chase lounge farther from the fireplace and laid the comforter from bed in front of it. I opened the wine and set glasses next to the piece of cheesecake we brought back from the restaurant. I plopped down onto the floor and propped myself up on some pillows I had scattered around from our bed.

Bella didn't keep me waiting long and when she emerged from the bathroom, I was awe struck on how sexy she looked. She wore the black, two piece, lingerie set I picked out at the shop while buying her bikini the night before. The top was a bra that plunged low between her breasts where a satin bow teased me and I could see the outlines of her nipples through the lace, and it showed off Bella's perfectly shaped body. Resting on her hip bones was the very small black skirt, leaving nothing left to the imagination as to what lay underneath.

My eyes traveled down her body, taking in the vision that stood before me. When I reached her feet, I saw that she kept on the high heels that she had worn to dinner. As I looked up at her, I licked my lips and was greeted with a sexy smirk.

"Like what you see, Dr. Cullen?" She asked seductively, as she turned around to show me her glorious ass. I couldn't help but to let out a groan as I took in the lacey back side of the skirt.

"Fuck yeah, I do." I patted the blanket next to me then continued, "Why don't you come on over here so I can appreciate the view better?"

Bella made her way over to me and lowered herself ever so slowly, making sure that I got a peek at not only her cleavage, but her bare ass underneath the skirt. She sat across from me and took a sip from her wine glass.

"Want some dessert, Edward?" She asked picking up the fork to cut a small piece of the cheesecake then slowly brought it to her lips.

"Who needs cheesecake when I can nibble on every inch of your delectable body?" I flashed the crooked smile that I knew she loved so much.

I pushed up quickly and stood on my knees. I was about to stand all the up until she distracted me by pushing the plate and wine glasses away from us and matched my position by sitting up on her knees as well.

"Come here, Edward. If you're going to make me wait for my dessert, I think I should have a little _snack_ to tide me over." She put one of her hands up and gestured me over with one finger.

Instead of standing up, I slowly crawled to her as if she were my prey.

When I reached her, I placed my knees on either side of Bella's thighs straddling her and kissed her hard on the lips. Bella pushed me away too quickly and told me to straighten out my body.

With the position I was in, she only had to slightly duck her head in order to reach the spot where I wanted her most. She knew that too, and took her time teasing me. Without removing my boxers, she brushed her lips against my straining cock, causing it to harden even more. She left soft kisses along the path she created headed towards my bellybutton, which she proceeded to dip her tongue into.

My hands wove their way into her hair, as my eyes closed in bliss over the sensations running through my body. I could feel her arms wrap around me until my ass cheeks were in the palms of her hands.

Bella slightly lowered the front of my boxers and started to lick from my abdomen across to my hips and back down to my covered cock while she pulled me closer and sat back on her heels.

"Lean back, Edward." She demanded.

I did exactly what I was told and sat my ass on her lap, while holding most of my weight on my arms behind me. As soon as I steadied myself, Bella sprung my cock free. My head fell back as she took my shaft into her hands then started slowly stroking it.

She wasted no time and pushed my boxers down more before lowering her mouth onto me. She went as far down as she could and back up again. I could feel her tongue swirling around until she reached the head, were she paid extra attention to the slit with her tongue.

"Fuck… that feels so good," I said in a strained voice, trying not to cum prematurely.

I couldn't see anything she was doing with the position I was in, but with my eyes closed, I could imagine her pouty lips with my rock hard cock between them. The image fueled my fire; my body naturally reacted and started to thrust up into her mouth.

Deep moans and grunts filled the room.

Her pace started to quicken, matching the rhythm of my hips. She glided her hand along my stomach towards my chest where she began to tease my nipple. As she rolled it in between her fingers, she started to hum against my cock. The tightening in my stomach had turned into tingles, and I knew I wouldn't be able to hold off much longer.

'Oh, God, Bizz… don't stop… gonna cum." I managed to get out through gritted teeth

Before my next breath came, I felt my cock start to pulsate. As each hot spurt was released, the tightening in my balls decreased, causing my grunts to turn into shallow pants.

Bella stayed in place until satisfied that she didn't miss a drop. She sat up straight and giggled when she saw my flushed face and heaving chest.

"Laugh now, baby, but it's about to be my turn and you'll be looking just like me when I'm done with you." My breaths continued to slow and when I was finally able to open my eyes, I was pleased to be greeted by Bella's hooded eyes and swollen lips.

She gave me a seductive smile and licked her lips. "That's a promise I intend you to keep, Cullen."

In the wee hours of the morning, we finally fell asleep satisfied from a night filled with worshiping each other's bodies. We were a tangled mess of sweaty bodies and sheets but couldn't have cared less, we were perfectly content.

During breakfast the next morning, we received several stares from fellow guests. Bella was embarrassed because they may had heard us the night before but I shrugged it off. We would never see those people again. Plus, Bella expressed once that she liked it when I was vocal during sex, and I was just making sure my girl knew just how much she was pleasing me. _Nothing wrong with that._

We checked out of the inn, thanking Ms. Wilson for being so accommodating. She told us it was refreshing to see a couple so in love and that we were welcomed there any time.

I enjoyed the feel of Bella wrapped around me as we made our way home on our motorcycle. My thoughts returned to the day I purchased it, when Jasper insinuated that she would hate it because I didn't ask her first. I couldn't wait to tell him how wrong he was. Like I told him that day, I knew Bella very well and had no doubt it would have an affect on her. It was one of the reasons I bought it after all.

As I reached the city limits, I released one hand from the handlebars to squeeze Bella's as it was securely holding onto my stomach. I hated that our weekend had come to an end but was excited to see our girls. Our trip was exactly what we needed and I knew I would be whisking her away as often as possible.

That night, after we tucked the girls into bed at my place and slid into bed, I came to the conclusion that having two households wasn't going to be acceptable for much longer. We were a family now and we should have a space we could all call our own, with all of our belongings merged together in one household.

Good thing I had a plan in place.

**A/N: There you have it. Edward's determined to have Bella make him an honorable man. How long until she finally agrees to marry him?**

Painting Edward buys for Bella is real and was painted by Rob Owen from Victoria, BC. You can view it, and many more, on PhotoBucket if you're interested.

Cherry Blossom B&B (The Hanami Room): cherryblossombb . com / rates . html

Nitobe Memorial Gardens: www . botanicalgarden . ubc . ca / nitobe

The Teahouse:www . vancouverdine . com / theTeahouse0experience . aspx

Here's the link to the EPOV BJ picture: http : / / robmaniporn . / 2010 / 07 / rob-take-me-all-pattinson . html

Jadsmama subscribes to the robmaniporn blog and receives pervy pictures via email; strictly for research purposes only! *grins* The day the BJ picture posted, ladysharkey1 received a call at work letting her know we needed to add another scene to accommodate this sexy ass picture. We hope you enjoyed reading it as much as we loved writing it!

We've update PhotoBucket with all the pictures for this chapter. (Except the BJ pic because it's too pervy and they would block it...stupid rules!)

"_**What woman wouldn't want to be sitting on the back of a motorcycle, with her arms wrapped tightly around Edward Cullen's waist for hours?"**_** indeed! Now we're just being silly. =)**

**Thanks for reading! If you have the time, please review and we'll send you a teaser for the next chapter. You girls are AMAZING and we love all the feedback and support you've given us. We never expected to make it over 50 reviews and we reached 400! As new writers, we rely on the input you give and honestly, it's priceless to us. Also, **_**thank you**_** to everyone who has rec'd and tweeted, and if you haven't yet, please know we're just happy that you're reading our story. **

_**We love ya and hope you have a great week! See y'all next Saturday!**_


	20. Life is a Highway

**Thank you to our beta LZTZ, and prereader tanglingshadows, for their help and support.**

**Disclaimer: We don't own Twilight, but it owns us.**

**Chapter 20 – Life is a Highway**

_**Bella**_

The last week of school had come and gone. It had always been a bittersweet time for the staff. We grew attached to our students, but when the final bell rang on the last day we breathed out a collective sigh of relief. Summer was a much needed break for all of us. However, I would have days that I'd still need to report to work. I anticipated bringing Makenna and MC along with me on those days and I was sure we'd find something for them to do. Plus, they both enjoyed reading so spending a lazy summer day holed up in the library would be good for them.

Our school year had ended on a high note. I worked with the local businesses in the area to donate money or supplies to accommodate the families and staff for our End of the Year picnic. We received everything from cash for supplies, to food and drink donations and a local restaurant volunteered their time to cook the food for us. The smell of hamburgers and hot dogs filled the air and everyone had a great time. I'd always enjoyed meeting the families of the students in an atmosphere that was not centered on grades or classes and it was also a chance to build a foundation for the following school year.

Edward brought MC and Makenna to the picnic and, needless to say, he was a big hit with the school girls. They swarmed him, flirted relentlessly and on one occasion, a student asked if she could have her picture taken with him. I had to step in and say no to her request… all I could imagine would be finding out she posted a picture of her with Edward on Facebook or some other social networking website. I had a public job, but I wanted to keep my personal life as private as possible. I needed to protect my boyfriend from any type of public forums, not only for privacy, but because of his career.

I looked over to see Edward holding both MC and Makenna's hand, as he began talking with Mrs. Garrett, the school's Administrative Assistant.

"It's nice to meet you too, Mrs. Garrett," Edward said as he released Makenna's hand to shake Mrs. Garrett's.

"So, you're the fellow who likes to send the heavy bouquets of flowers to Mrs. Black, huh?" she said with a teasing voice.

Edward laughed and put his arm around me as I reached him. "Guilty as charged. I would send them every day if I didn't think she'd get too mad at me." He kissed my temple and I felt myself blushing.

"Edward bought me and Kenni flowers last week. They were pink." MC smiled up at him with nothing but love in her eyes for him.

"They sound beautiful, sugar. Your Edward is a great guy, huh?" Mrs. Garrett said to MC and she looked between the four of us.

I'd built a bond with Mrs. Garrett over the years and she had mentioned to me several times how happy she was that we were able to reconnect after I gave her a shortened version of our history.

"Alright, ladies, enough with talking about me like I'm not even here. Who wants to go get some food?" He waited for a response.

"I do!" MC answered first, followed by Makenna.

"Mrs. Garrett, it was wonderful meeting you. I promise not to send too many flowers to Mrs. Black next year, but maybe you'll find some with _your_ name on a card every once in a while." Edward was charming her. She looked down and then back up into his eyes with a shy smile. I laughed at her reaction to him because I knew first-hand how dazzling he could be.

I linked my arm through his and the girls followed along behind us. "Come on, Prince Charming, let's go feed the girls." We walked over to the line and I chatted with those around us, laughing and having a great time.

In the following weeks the end of the school year, Makenna, MC and I spent time at the park riding bikes and feeding the ducks. I relaxed with a book while they played on the playground together. Edward began his classes, but on a rare day off, he joined us for a trip to the zoo.

"I liked the elephants the best." MC had declared.

Makenna said she enjoyed the monkeys, specifically, the orangutans who were very active at the time we visited them.

"Who knows what I liked the best?" Edward asked, looking between us. "Oh, come on. You can't tell me you don't know already," he said playfully.

We looked to each other for a clue but we all came up empty. He really hadn't shown much interest in a specific animal during our time walking around. Honestly, Edward had paid more attention to me throughout the day than he did to any of the animals.

Makenna said she gave up and MC shrugged her shoulders.

Edward reached over and pulled us all into a group hug. "Alright then, I'll just show you." He started pretending like he was biting, chewing and eating us up while we all cracked up laughing. Apparently, he liked the hippos the best. Edward chanted that he was a hungry, hungry hippo. _Silly man._

We ate lunch at the zoo's pizza shop and relaxed for a while before the girls said they wanted to see every exhibit in the time we had remaining. While we ate, they showed us their drawings of some of the animals and insects we had already visited. It was Makenna's idea to bring a drawing pad and colored pencils with them so they could hang the drawings in their respective rooms. I thought it was a great idea for them to remember our family outing. When the girls were lost sharing their pictures with one another, Edward and I were lost in each other.

After we cleaned up our table, we set off to see some more animals. Walking hand in hand, he and I whispered words of love between us, sharing chaste kisses and hugging while the girls enjoyed the habitats.

I desperately needed some more quality time with Edward as it had been a few weeks since our trip to Vancouver and we hadn't had much of a chance to just be _us_. I initially thought with him going back to school, and cutting down his hours at the hospital, that we'd see Edward a little more than we had. When he was with us, he seemed distracted and spent more and more time on the phone or emailing from his BlackBerry than he did with us. I asked him about it once and he just shrugged my question off with a response that he was working. There was no reason for me to doubt his answer, but I hoped it wouldn't become a pattern because the girls missed having his full attention too.

Edward's birthday was fast approaching and I had no clue what to get for the man. He seemed to have everything he needed or wanted. I talked to the girls to see what types of ideas they could offer and between the three of us, we came up with a few plans. They looked forward to making a few gifts of their own as well.

I also called Esme and we met her for lunch one day. She was full of additional ideas and a few of them sounded perfect. I knew that Edward would enjoy his birthday.

Later that same afternoon, we went to the local gardening store and picked up some flowers to plant in my front garden. Makenna and MC couldn't agree upon what to buy so I let them each choose their personal favorites. Makenna loved the color pink, so her choices didn't surprise me.

MC chose daisies and snapdragons in various colors. My garden was going to be an eclectic mix of all colors, shapes and sizes.

When we returned home, we quickly unloaded the supplies from Edward's SUV, which I had borrowed that morning knowing we would need it for hauling everything, and gathered our tools. Each girl had a small hand spade they used to dig holes to plant their flowers. I was put on weed pulling duty and groaned under my breath. I _hated_ pulling weeds, always had, and envied the girls because I would rather be planting pretty things than pulling ugly ones, but I since I was the mom, I got stuck with the crappy job. Once MC and Makenna had everything planted, we spread the cedar mulch throughout the garden together. We stood back and enjoyed our hard work. _It was beautiful._

I couldn't help but to think that the garden reminded me of us. Each flower had its own characteristics and when by themselves, they were bold and held their own. Yet, when blended together, they complemented one another and brought out small details about themselves you never would have noticed otherwise. Edward, Makenna, MC and I were definitely the perfect combination just like our newly planted garden of flowers.

I was finishing up watering the garden when Edward returned home in my Mini Cooper. I giggled at the sight of him driving it with the top down. He had cracked a joke that my car wasn't big enough for him before he left that morning, but I told him to suck it up. It wouldn't kill him to drive the Coop for the day and I needed the extra space for the girls and our garden supplies.

After dinner, which was chicken breasts, corn on the cob and freshly cut watermelon, Makenna's new favorite fruit, we all took turns taking a shower to wash the dirt away and settled in to play a game of Monopoly. We flipped a coin and Makenna was declared the Banker, a truly sought after position in our battle to win the game. Edward was very attentive and wasn't distracted by his BlackBerry. I took a much relieved breathe.

The next morning I woke the girls up early to make Edward breakfast in bed. They wanted to make omelets, blueberry muffins and some sausage links. Since I had been teaching them how to bake, they were able to follow the instructions and make the muffins from scratch with only a little guidance from me. Once everything was ready and his orange juice and coffee were on the serving tray, we walked together towards my bedroom to wake up the birthday boy.

"You ready ladies?" I whispered as I slowly pushed open the door. They nodded excitedly.

Edward was sleeping with his arm stretched out towards my side of the bed as if he had rolled over and was searching for me in his sleep. I loved him with every bit of my body and soul, and it warmed my heart to know he loved me just as much in return. Even in our sleep, our bodies needed reassurance of the other's presence. Edward's hair was falling into his eyes and I wanted to reach over and brush it back.

From the early birthday blow job I had given him in the middle of the night, the blankets were still tangled around his legs. I laughed at the memory of his startled reaction when I had woken him up with my lips surrounding his dick.

"Oh!" Makenna said as she tripped over one of Edward's shoes that sat in the middle of the floor.

"You okay?" I checked, giggling.

"Yes, Bella, I'm fine. I thought I was going to drop something." She proceeded to walk across the room, following behind MC who was already climbing on to the bed.

Edward grunted in his sleep and a smile appeared on his face. He mumbled something that I couldn't understand and took a deep breath. It wouldn't be too long before he woke up for the day, so it was time to present him with breakfast.

"MC, why don't you go ahead and shake his shoulder a little to see if we can't wake him up? Makenna, you'll be in charge of starting us off with singing to him and giving him his food." Both girls nodded their understanding and MC reached over to wake him up.

After shaking him a few times with no response, MC leaned over and whispered in his ear. "Edward, wake up. We made you something."

"Sleeping…. good dream… go away," he mumbled.

I laughed at him. I knew he was just playing with her.

"Please Edward," MC begged. "Kenni Bear and I made you something _really_ delicious." She told him in a more excited voice.

"No way, Jose'. I'm staying right here in bed all day long." He grabbed the pillow and hid his face.

The girls looked up at me and I shrugged. Guess I'd have to do it myself.

I reached over and pulled the pillow off his head and the blankets from around his feet. I climbed up onto the bed and whispered so only he could hear me.

"Cullen, if you want to get any of the presents we have for you, you'll open your eyes right now and eat the breakfast the girls made for you." I lowered my voice even lower. "I have _great_ plans for us too, baby." I kissed his ear and began to lightly scratch his back. Suddenly, he pulled me around to his chest and kissed me.

"Okay, alright, I'm awake. _Geesh._ Can't a man sleep late on his own birthday?" he asked as he looked back and forth between the girls. He pretended to sniff the air like a dog and the girls giggled at his silliness. "Hey, what's that delicious aroma in the air? It smells like blueberries."

"It is blueberries, Daddy. We made you breakfast in bed," Makenna stated proudly. "Me and MC even made the muffins from scratch."

"And we made you an omelet and sausages too, Edward," MC added.

"Omelet, made from scratch blueberry muffins, _and_ sausage?" Edward questioned. "This is the best birthday I've ever had. Bring that tray over here, Makenna, so I can make sure you didn't burn my food. This seems too good to be true."

"Daddy," Makenna sighed. "We didn't burn anything. Bella watched us the whole time."

Edward looked at me again and responded, "Well, if Bella was involved then I'm sure it's great." He reached for his fork and cut a small piece of omelet, sniffed it before he took a bite.

"Oh, wow, ladies, this is excellent. Thank you! Now, let's see if you know how to bake," he challenged.

The girls' eyes followed his movement as he grabbed a muffin. The expressions on their face ranged from excitement to nervousness to dread. I could tell their hearts would be crushed if his reaction was anything less than good. It was quite funny, actually. I knew he would never hurt their feelings by saying anything negative to them. He was a great dad and always put them first.

_Dad._ He treated my daughter as if she were his own. Edward loved her and she felt the same way. They were bonded to each other so strongly that I sometimes forgot what it was like before Makenna and Edward came into our lives. We would never be apart again and I couldn't wait to move forward with them. I had no doubt in my mind that we would eventually marry and probably even have babies together.

_I couldn't wait! _The thought made me giddy.

This same time last year, I had a job I enjoyed and a daughter I loved and doted on. Not once had I foreseen the changes that were headed our way… the changes that would affect the rest of my life and that of my daughter's. I probably would have gone about my existence, happy and satisfied, but finally I had so much more to live for and we fulfilled and complimented each other so well.

"Earth to Bella, come in Bella," Edward chuckled.

I snapped my eyes to his and he continued to laugh.

"Where were you just now?" he asked as he leaned in for a kiss.

I blushed and looked around for the girls who were missing.

"Where'd they go?" I questioned softly from being embarrassed.

"Well, I finished eating the wonderful meal that my favorite girls on the planet made especially for me, and sent them to the kitchen to clean up a little. What's on your mind, sweetheart?" He tucked a lose hair behind my ear.

"Nothing." One look into his eyes told me that answer wouldn't fly.

"Huh, it didn't look like nothing. So, how about we try this again, okay? What's on your mind, Bella? We promised we would always be honest with each other." Edward looked between my eyes as if he was trying to determine if he should be worried.

"Ugh, fine. I was thinking about the future with you and was daydreaming, alright?" I groaned, slightly embarrassed that I was caught and had to give him an explanation.

"Daydreaming. What about, _Isabella_?" Edward softly whispered in my ear, causing me to shiver and he captured my lips in a fierce kiss. We continued moving our lips together, our tongues barely touching, and then reluctantly pulled apart when we heard the bathroom door close and remembered where we were.

"So, tell me how you see your future? I hope it includes me," Edward spoke against my lips.

"It does." I pulled back and looked into his eyes. "I was just thinking about how great of a dad you are to Makenna. Then, you've accepted and loved my daughter just as much as your own. It made me want so much more for us, like living together, marriage and maybe even someday, if you want anyways, another baby. I know I'm springing this on you, but-"

He stopped my rambling with another kiss and rolled on top of me. "Bizzy, I would love nothing more than to marry you right this second and to make another baby with you. I can see our entire future together and I can't wait for it to all come together for us. Don't be shy about telling me what you want and need. As long as we're together, have our girls… which I _do_ think of MC as my daughter, by the way… we'll be okay." He kissed me again.

"I want everything with you, Bella. _ Everything_," he said and kissed my neck. I told him that I wanted it all too.

"I know that we were joking around in Vancouver when I asked you to marry me, but please know that I won't be giving up that easily. You can't tell me that you picture our future together, which includes making babies with me, and then you turn down my attempts to put a ring on your finger. It doesn't work that way, woman."

"Okay. Okay. I get it. Someday you'll ask me again, and when you do I _might_ say yes and then-" I was cut off again to Edward tickling my sides. Our loud laughter caught the attention of MC and Makenna who jumped up on the bed to torture me.

Eventually we all settled down and got dressed for the second part of his celebration. Esme mentioned getting a suite for the entire family at the Mariner's game and I knew he'd love it. We invited everyone to come along, including Emmett and Rosalie, and even Alice, Jasper and their boys.

Walking into our room at the stadium, I was in awe of how great our view of the field was. We looked down onto home plate and could see the players sitting in the dugout too. All the kids were excited and pressing their faces against the glass that separated us, but no one was more ecstatic than Edward. He was like a kid in a candy store.

I grabbed a coke, some peanuts and a hot dog from the counter near the back of the room and found my way over to Esme, Alice and Rose. We didn't pay much attention to the game. Our conversation focused on Rose and her wedding plans with Emmett. Rose told us how she had become obsessed watching celebrity weddings on TV ever since Emmett proposed and how it was driving him crazy.

"He's looking at you again," Esme winked at me. I rolled my eyes.

"Wow, Bella, I don't even think he realizes other people are even in the room. All he sees is you," Alice added her two cents.

I looked over towards Edward and a huge smile grew on his face. I blew him a kiss, waived and turned back to the girls with my own smile.

"All I see is him, too."

**~~ E & B ~~**

_**Edward**_

"…**.**_Happy birthday, dear Edward, happy birthday to you!" _

As I closed my eyes, I blocked out all the commotion surrounding us, as it was the only way I could solely concentrate on the one thing I truly wanted to come true. I needed my plan to unfold just as I hoped it would.

I opened my eyes and glanced to my right where Bella was sitting, beaming at me while her hand rested against my back. She may not have been in tuned to exactly what I had wished for, but with the intense look we exchanged, I hoped she would have some idea it pertained to her. I gave her a smile then turned back around to blow out the candles on my cake, and I repeated my wish one last time.

Watching the game from a suite that towered over home plate was an experience of a lifetime, and even though I had a plasma screen on either side of me, I preferred to look out the window and straight onto the field below us. Our players were in their positions and focused on keeping the game a shutout. I scanned the sea of navy blue and teal clothed spectators and appreciated my fellow fans, as we all rooted on the home team. Every now and then you would come across a seat where someone was wearing red for the other team, but the stadium was pretty much filled to brim with true Mariner's fans. It was a sight you didn't grasp when you are sitting amongst the crowd. I sure in the hell appreciated it for the glory it was.

I could not help but to think about Charlie as the crack of a baseball connecting with the bat filled the speakers and cheers from the crowd boomed throughout the stadium. Being there, surrounded by an enthusiastic crowd that shared the love for Charlie's favorite sport, would have been heaven on earth for him. Sipping on bitter tasting beer and stuffing his face with hotdogs would have topped it off. I wished he was with us, sitting next to me, shooting off statistics and giving me a hard time because he was one beer ahead of me.

"What're ya thinking about, birthday boy?" Bella leaned against me and spoke directly into my ear.

"About how amazing this day has been. Thank you, again, for helping to plan it," I responded, trying to focus on a happy thought.

She turned my head to face her and gave me a soft kiss on my lips, then pulled back to smile at me.

"You're welcome. There're some gifts from me and the girls at home, but I didn't want to haul anything down here."

"Seriously, Bella, being here was the best gift ever and you shouldn't have bought me anything else."

"Sorry, babe, it may be _your_ birthday but it's _our_ day to spoil you however we see fit, so get over it. If you feel like you've had too much attention for one day, I can always skip the private celebration I had planned for tonight." Bella smirked as she challenged me to protest whatever she had planned when we were alone.

I glared at her as my mom started passing out pieces of cake to everyone. _My evil, little tease._ Bella always knew how to push my buttons in all the right ways and, so help me God, I loved it every fucking time. Our playful banter, sexual or not, was one of my favorite things about our relationship.

When my mom walked away, I leaned back over to Bella and whispered in her ear, "I guess I should start planning an appropriate thank you then. I'm pretty sure I know what you'd prefer instead of a card." I smirked at her and was met with a glare.

_Two can play at this game after all._

After we finished eating the cake, the seventh inning stretch came to an end. The girls enjoyed the last game that was displayed on the Jumb-o-tron, but weren't happy that Emmett's dot won the race around the field.

Rose and Bella sat at the end of the aisle and were lost in a conversation with my mom and Alice over some wedding crap that had been plastered all over the news. My dad, who was seated to my left, continued to question me on what was happening at Seattle General. Despite what he had said, I knew he was missing the hustle and bustle of being employed.

I tried to keep my attention focused on what he was talking about, or even on the game itself, but I couldn't seem to keep my mind focused on anything but Bella. Her hands became animated as she talked, her eyes crinkled as her laugher surrounded us, and her smile brightened the already sunny room. She was breathtaking.

As I shifted in my seat, the cell phone in my pocket became uncomfortable and I slouched down to pull it out. I accidently hit a button and the screen illuminated with the last conversation I had shared with Bella from the day before. Seeing the name I hoped she'd use in the very near future, _Bizzy Cullen,_ appear in the left hand corner of my BlackBerry's screen, gave me an idea.

My fingers glided across the buttons, spelling out the simple question I wanted to ask her on a daily basis until I got the right answer.

**marry me ~ Dr. E. Cullen**

I pushed my phone back into my pocket and I pretended to focus on the field while I tried to keep a straight face. After our conversation that morning, I knew she'd get a kick out of it.

Even though it was fairly quick, it felt like several minutes before I saw Bella retrieve the phone out of her purse. While watching her out of the corner of my eye, I saw Bella look down at it and a sly smile took over her face.

Without looking over at me, she began to type a response. Bella then put her phone away and continued on with her conversation like nothing had ever happened.

I couldn't contain my smile any longer, despite my attempts to remain casual. I knew she wouldn't agree to marry me through a text message, but I truly couldn't wait to see what she had to say about it.

My phone dinged and I pulled it out of my pocket once again.

_Seeing you in a tuxedo would damn near kill me. Sorry, no can do. =)_

The loud laughter I let out drew the attention of my family. My dad asked what was going on and I brushed him off instead saying I was taking the girls to get a souvenir, before it got busy after the game ended.

As I walked past Bella, I bent down for a quick kiss then whispered, "One day you won't be able to deny me anymore, Isabella. I want _everything_ with you."

I stood back up and she responded, "You're right about that, Cullen."

Our happy expressions said everything we were thinking. We both knew the clock was ticking, and before long we would be husband and wife.

I held both girls' hands, fearing they would get lost in the shuffle of people in the crowded walkway. When we reached the gift shop, I told them they could each pick out a few things. They stayed together and browsed the walls and racks filled with Mariners merchandise.

I thumbed through a couple racks myself, seeing if anything caught my eye for either Bella or me. I came across a shirt that had a baseball player on it wearing the Mariner's throw back uniform, while in a full swing stance. Underneath it read _Touch Down _instead of _Home Run_. I laughed as I looked over the shirt once more and decided it would be exactly something Charlie would have bought.

"What's so funny, Edward?" MC asked as her and Makenna walked up to me with their arms full of things they wanted.

I found my size and pulled it off the rack before I explained.

"I was laughing at this shirt. It's something your Grandpa would have picked out."

MC's eyebrows scrunched together and she asked, "My Grandpa Billy?"

"Nope, your Grandpa Charlie. He was not only a huge Mariner's fan, but also a Seahawk's as well. We'd have to pry this shirt off of him if he owned it."

"You knew my Grandpa Charlie?" MC asked with a shocked expression.

"I sure did, honey. I'll have to tell you some great stories about him sometime soon, okay?" I replied and gave her a smile.

After I drained my wallet buying my shirt, a hoodie for Bella, matching hats and t-shirts for all of us and key chains for the girls, we made our way back to the suite.

"Good God, Edward. What did you do? Buy one of everything?" Bella asked in shock as I sat the bags down in front of her.

MC rolled her eyes at her mom's dramatic statement while Makenna answered her question for me.

"Don't worry, Bella. My dad didn't buy one of everything. He told us we couldn't buy the bull horn that had a button for clapping sounds, boos and it even said, _Hey batter, batter."_ Makenna answered looking disappointed about not getting the one thing the girls wanted the most.

Bella's eyes widen further and she said sarcastically, "Well thank goodness you have _some_ limits, Edward."

I shrugged my shoulders. _What can I say?_ I was a pushover when it came to them.

"Momma… guess what?" MC asked but didn't wait for Bella to respond, "Edward knew Grandpa Charlie. How awesome is that?"

Bella's eyes darted to mine, silently asking me where that came from. I pulled out the shirt I purchased and explained how MC had come to learn that I knew Charlie. Bella's hand ran across the shirt and she smiled up at me and agreed I was right; it was something Charlie would have picked out for himself.

The sight of her smiling at the mention of her dad made me realize just how far she had come in dealing with her grief.

The game came to an end. The cheers celebrating the Mariner's win erupted around us and we heard it all the way to the car. I thanked everyone for coming one last time, waiving as we made our way through the bumper to bumper traffic out of the crowded parking lot.

Wanting to keep the night low key, we decided to head to Bella's house to grill some steaks for dinner. When we arrived, I was ordered to man the grill while the girls set up party decorations and Bella prepared some side dishes. I did what I was told because I wanted them to have fun preparing something for me.

Dinner turned out perfect and Bella even got Makenna to try some vegetables. I was shocked to see her try them without any hesitation or reluctance. I figured she was willing because she idealized Bella so much and just wanted to make her happy.

I was proud of Makenna for opening herself up and trying new things; I wanted her to be not only healthy, but to enjoy all kinds of foods. She was making great progress thanks to Bella showing her that certain foods tasted good when they're prepared correctly. I was never the best cook.

Since we had eaten cake at the stadium, after dinner, we only had ice cream. The girls barely let me finish mine before they pushed it aside and placed gift bags in front of me.

I picked up the first one and removed the tissue paper. I reached inside and pulled out a hand painted coffee mug that said _#1 Doctor_ and had small medical instruments drawn around it. The girls pointed out exactly which ones they had colored, from thermometers to a stethoscope, and told me how Bella had to look up pictures on the computer for them since they didn't know what they looked like.

The next bag was a little larger but was light as a feather. I pulled out a white shirt, and once I unfolded it, I let out a loud laugh. In the middle of the shirt was a Photoshopped graphic of a king with my picture on it while riding a horse, Bella represented the queen standing next to me and the two princesses with Makenna and MC's beaming smiles walking behind us in the procession holding hands. After we laughed at the way our goofy heads looked slightly larger than our bodies, Bella explained that the girls wanted me to remember our outing to the park. She told me how they insisted she was included even though she wasn't with us that day.

Bella then pulled a large, wrapped box out of from under the chair and handed it to me. It wasn't too heavy, but was pretty big and it spiked my interest.

"Bizzy, what did you get me that would need this big of a box?" I questioned her.

"Open it up and find out for yourself, Edward." She replied and sat back down.

I tore off the paper quickly, then the lid of the box and found a motorcycle jacket underneath the tissue. It was a black, gray and blue mesh riding jacket. Bella rambled on about all the details and how she couldn't decide between it and a leather one. The sales guy thought I would enjoy the light weight feel rather than the heaviness the leather one would have had.

"I love it, baby. I needed one of these, too. Thank you." I leaned over and gave her a kiss then went back to examining my new jacket.

After I was satisfied I had taken it all in, I went back to the open box and pushed back the remaining tissues. Nestled inside was another jacket but that one was pink and black with flowers on it.

I looked up and gave Bella a confused look.

"Umm… thanks, Bizzy, but I don't think pink is my color."

Bella gave a chuckle and then responded, "You know you're confident enough to pull off pink, Edward, but that's actually my jacket. You bought us the bike, so I bought us the gear." She shrugged her shoulders and continued to smile.

Makenna and MC continued to dote on me the rest of the night and after they were asleep, Bella took my breath away throughout the remainder of the evening until we were both exhausted. I couldn't have asked for a better birthday if I would have planned it myself. Having the day end with your sexy girlfriend's lips wrapped around you, was the best fucking birthday in my book.

Just as quickly as my birthday came and went, so did the weeks following it and before I knew it, half the summer had past. I had delved myself into every aspect of my life, but knew all my efforts would pay off. I spent my mornings in a lecture hall at UW, listening to a professor ramble on while I tried to tune out everything racing through my mind. Then, I would head to the hospital for a five hour shift and would do my best to get out of there on time to make it home for dinner, wanting to be with my girls as much as possible. I had to scale back answering emails and sneaking in calls when Bella started to notice how attached my BlackBerry and I had become.

I snickered to myself as I went through my daily routine of clearing out the email history, just in case she became curious and looked. I knew Bella would know soon enough why I couldn't put my phone down. I had a feeling she would feel differently about me being distracted all summer when she did.

**A/N: Wonder what has Edward so distracted?**

**As always, we've posted a few of our picspirations to PhotoBucket. Also, we added our Pictease from this past Monday to show you how cleaver we are. The BlackBerry is being held by jadsmama who texted ladysharkey1 to create the perfect teaser for this chapter. It took many tries for us to get it right, so can you please stop laughing at us now? We thought we were being creative! ***shrugs*** See how much we love our readers? **_**LMAO**_

**If you have the time, please review and we'll send you a teaser of the next chapter. **


	21. Visions of Love

**Thank you to our beta LZTZ, and prereader tanglingshadows, for all of their help and support.**

**Disclaimer: We don't own Twilight, but it owns us.**

**Chapter 21 - Visions of Love**

_**Edward**_

Browsing through the magazine section at _Barnes & Noble_ for bridal magazines was not something I'd ever thought I would do. Yet there I was, trying to figure out what the difference between_ Bride_ and _Modern_ _Bride _was. Did the one missing the word _modern_ suggest it was for an older bride?

_Fuck._ My simple task turned out to be way more complicated than I anticipated it to be.

I ran my hand through my hair, tugging on the ends out of frustration. I looked around, prepared to give in and just ask the first woman I saw which one I should buy. Ironically, there were only men surrounding me. I looked down at my watch and realized I spent more time than I'd planned pondering which magazine would be the appropriate choice for Bella. I grabbed four different magazines that had _bride_ in the title, including the one that appealed the most to me, which stated they had exclusive information on the best honeymoon destinations_._ We could not overlook that part, right?

While walking up to the cash register, I threw a couple additional items into the mesh shopping bag to complete what I was putting together; a black sharpie, post-it-notes and a notebook.

In the past few days, I had come to the realization that I had no idea how Bella saw our wedding day. I was curious to see how things had changed since all the silly things we discussed in high school would never be something we would chose now; hell, I remembered when we said we'd eat Taco Bella at our reception. But realistically, having been the best man at her wedding to Jake, I knew how much time and effort she had put into it. Since her parents were footing the bill, I also remembered how she settled on a lot of things because she felt that she had to go along with what her mom had wanted.

I wouldn't let that happen when our day came. I wanted her to pick out every small detail that mattered to a woman, but more importantly, to Bella herself. I would make sure the day lived up to all her dreams and more, no matter the cost. That was why I had spent over forty-five minutes staring at bridal magazines.

I had yet to tell her about my trust fund and knew as we got closer to actually having a wedding, I would have to come clean about it in order for her to understand that money was no object for us. I hadn't learned about my inheritance that my grandmother set up for me until my twenty-fifth birthday. To say I was blown away when I received the news would have been an understatement.

While paying for my purchases, the lady ringing me up gave me multiple complements about how I must be an attentive groom as she scanned each item. I thanked her, slightly embarrassed, because I wasn't actually a groom… _yet. _Then I made my way to work while thinking out my next move.

I had known since May that I would formally ask Bella to marry me before too long. I had brought it up several times in ways that were funny, just to see what she had to say about the subject and to throw her off from what I really had planned. Every day in which we went our separates ways to our respective homes, or the times I had to refer to her as Mrs. Black, ate away at my heart. I needed to be connected to Bella in every possible way and making her my wife would do just that.

I thought back on the 4th of July, when I ended up telling my parents that I planned to propose to Bella soon. I thought my mom's sequels of excitement would cause her to have a heart attack. I had wanted to tell my parents when the time got closer to my proposal, but my dad walking in at the wrong moment made my plan impossible.

I stood in the study talking with one of my dad's colleagues.

"You're Carlisle Cullen's son, so you are practically familia in my eyes, Edward. Therefore, you're welcome a board _El Comienzo _any time." His thick Spanish accent rolled off his tongue as he spoke.

"Thank you so much Dr. Morales. I'm blown away by your generosity, sir, and would like to take you up on that offer." I reached out and took his card, then shook his hand. "I'll call you next week so we can discuss what I had in mind."

I was putting the card in my pocket when my dad walked into the room and came over to greet us.

"You're a lucky man to have such a beautiful woman by your side and I'm happy to help," Dr. Morales said while he patted me on my shoulder when saying his goodbyes.

After he left the room, my dad went on to explain how he and Dr. Morales had come to know one another while serving together on Seattle General's Board of Trustees. He asked if the conversation was about an employment opportunity and I stalled answering him, raising his curiosity as each silent second passed. I closed the door of his study and laid out my plan to him, giving away each and every detail. My dad seemed pleased and gushed over how proud of me he was. We parted ways shortly after that, not wanting anyone to notice our absence.

We made our way back outside to rejoin the Independence Day party. I watched my mom closely and couldn't help but notice how much she doted on Bella while introducing her to the other guests. Seeing how much my mom clearly loved Bella, and being thrilled that she was in our lives again, made me feel guilty that she was not in on my secret as well. Because of this, the first chance I had to get her alone, I took my mom inside and revealed to her what I had already told my dad.

I'm pretty sure I didn't even get the first sentence out before she was telling me how she knew it would happen all along, as she jumped up and down and squealed. Her excitement was infectious and she wanted me to pop the question that night. Although I was caught up in my mom's excitement, I came to my senses and vowed to do it the way I really wanted to. I had no doubts that Bella would appreciate and love what I planned for her.

The bag of wedding planning supplies sat under the seat of my SUV for over a week before I thought of the best way to give them to Bella. This "best way" came on the day when my class was canceled. I knew I needed to take the opportunity of a free weekday to handle some documents regarding my custody arrangement. Jessica would be leaving with Mike on another business trip before long and I wanted to get them to her before they left Chicago.

During the past several weeks, Jessica and I had spoken about making some changes in our custody agreement. Prior to my move to Seattle, I paid her child support. When we broke up, she had been a stay-at-home mom and needed the money to support herself and Makenna. I had no problem helping Jessica out in order to ensure my child was properly taken care of. When she married Mike, Jessica and I agreed that supporting her was no longer needed since she started working, but I continued providing for Makenna. With us living across the country, Jessica traveling, and Makenna living solely with me, we both felt it was time I had full custody. There would be documentation stating that Jessica had rights to visitations whenever it fit in with Makenna's school schedule or when traveling to Seattle to see her. While I did trust Jessica completely, I felt it was necessary to make it legal and not just a verbal agreement, like we had set up in the past.

Bella arranged a play date for MC with a friend from school that day. Makenna had been with Jessica for a couple weeks visiting her mom, leaving MC bored and begging to play with her friend; it left Bella free to join me at the court house. Before we left her house and drove downtown, I snuck out to my car and put together the gift bag with the items I bought from the book store and hid it in my SUV. I hoped to present it to her when we returned home.

While waiting for my number to be called, I noticed how close the Marriage License department was located to the area where we were sitting in.

I shifted in my seat and leaned forward to nuzzle Bella's neck causing her to giggle.

"Edward, don't even start that here." She pulled away and looked around.

"I'm bored… keep me entertained, Bizzy." I stated and leaned over the armrest of the chair even further until I reached her. I ran my nose against her cheek and made my way to her lips.

Bella giggled again and gave into my public display of affection. We didn't make it inappropriate but shared several slow kisses. Before pulling away, I connected my lips to hers one last time.

"Marry me, Bella." I stated, once again posing it as a statement and not a question.

Bella leaned away from me as far as possible. She had a smirk on her face and one eyebrow rose, questioning my sudden statement.

"You're out of luck again, babe. I have to pick up MC soon." She looked down at her watch then back up at me, "and would you look at that. It's close to eleven already."

I didn't respond to her, letting her believe she weaseled her way out again. She played perfectly into my hands without even realizing it though.

I let out a loud sigh to be dramatic but ended up putting on the smile that I always knew broke her down. I looked up at her through my lashes and met her eyes.

"Since you're shooting me down, for the _third_ time I might add,why don't you at least agree to get a marriage license today? Ya know, just in case you wake up one day and want to be Mrs. Cullen. I would hate to make you wait for the processing time to make that happen."

Her eyes danced between mine and her mouth opened and closed several times before she was able to respond.

"You're being serious, huh? You want to get a marriage license…? As in you really want to get married?"

"You must be joking asking me that. Of course I'm serious! I would marry you this very minute if you agreed to it. Licenses are good for a few months, you never know when we may want to use it and if it expires, then we come back again when we're ready."

"Wow… I'm speechless. I thought you've been joking with me all this time with your random proposals."

I reached out and pulled her as close to me as I could with having an armrest in between us, then took both her hands into mine.

"Isabella, I may have been fooling around by asking such an important question at all the wrong times, and in ways that would never be worthy enough for you. But, I will assure you one day that will not be the case. Someday soon, let me add, I'll ask for your hand in marriage and I can guarantee you that there will be no doubt in your mind about my sincerity."

She had no response; she pushed herself forward and touched her lips to mine, while continuing to look into my eyes. Without the works spoken, she pulled away and nodded at me, and I knew exactly what she was saying. We wasted no time walking up to the counter to the grab the documents we needed for our license.

An hour later, we made our way home, hand in hand, and at every red light Bella would pull me into a kiss. I felt excited and anxious all at once, knowing my dreams were becoming my reality. Bella and I had a legal binding document in our hands that stated, according to the state of Washington, we were allowed to get married.

After we pulled into Bella's driveway, I quickly got out of the car because I needed to have her in my arms as soon as possible. I opened the passenger door and pulled her into a sensual kiss. Bella kept her arms tightly wrapped around my neck while my hands were rooted deep into her hair. I turned her body in the seat so I could stand between her legs, keeping my body as close to hers as possible. Every chance I got, I sucked her bottom lip into my mouth and nibbled on it, knowing how much she enjoyed it. Our tongues made slow swipes against one another, and small moans emerged from both of us.

I reluctantly pulled away and knew I was not about to take it any further because of our location and I had to go to work that afternoon. Bella seemed disappointed but understood, as we always made the best of our alone time late at night after our girls went to bed. I had no doubt we would continue our celebration soon.

I helped Bella out of the car, took her hand and walked to the back of my SUV. I popped the latch and pulled out the white gift bag I had hidden. I turned back around and held it out for her.

She took it from me without hesitation but was quick to ask, "What's this?"

"I got you a little something a couple weeks ago and today's the perfect day to give it to you. Let's go into the house and you can see what's in there, then I _really_ need to get ready for work." I beamed at her but was slightly nervous about what she would say when she saw what I bought.

We made our way into the house and Bella walked over to the couch, sat down, and wasted no time digging straight into the bag. While she said nothing as she pulled the contents out, her smile grew as each item was revealed.

"You know, Edward, women buy bridal magazines _after_ they have a ring on their finger… so they can plan their wedding." She lifted her hand up towards me and wiggled her fingers. "I don't see any bling -bling here, do you?" We both started to laugh, knowing she was teasing me.

"Don't you worry, baby, I'll make sure you have some bling. Until then, why don't you humor me and pretend like you're a kid at Christmas while you circle whatever your little heart desires."

I leaned in and gave her a chaste kiss then got up to go change into my scrubs. When I returned she had kicked off her shoes and had her feet tucked underneath her. Bella looked comfortable and relaxed while she was thumbing through the honeymoon travel magazine.

"I think you'll have to skip getting me big rock if you want to go to one of these resorts, Edward. Their prices are ridiculous! However, a week alone with you in Bora Bora in a grass hut, with a private swimming lagoon, and a butler serving us does sound pretty amazing," she mumbled.

Bella didn't look at me and kept flipping the pages. I may end up going to work later than I had intended, but I felt it was time to share with her the wealth that I inherited and how it would affect our future.

"Ummm… Bella, there's something I need to tell you about," I said stoically.

She put the magazine in her lap and looked over at me attentively.

"Is everything okay? It sounds serious." She said in a tentative tone, but I was proud of her reaction. Several months earlier she would have freaked out and thought I was leaving again. This time, though, I didn't see any doubt in her eyes about my intentions.

I gave her a small smile hoping it would show that what I had to say wasn't anything bad. I scooted closer and put my arm around her.

"I really should've brought this up sooner but never thought to. We're seriously talking about our future, and its time I told you something important." I paused and tried to figure out the best way to say I was a millionaire and we could go to Bora Bora if we wanted to. "My parents were not pleased with me when I turned twenty-five, since it wasn't long after I moved to Chicago. They flew in to see me, but not because they _really_ wanted to. They were required to give me legal documents that I was not aware of prior to our meeting. I walked out of their hotel that day with paperwork needing my signature in order to take over a trust fund my Granny Platt had set up for me."

"Esme's mother left you money? I thought you boys were never close with her?" Bella interjected, knowing that our grandma never had much to do with Emmett or I.

"I guess my grandma figured her kids were wealthy enough, so she ended up passing all of her money to her grandchildren. I was surprised Emmett never told me when he got his inheritance at twenty-five, but I think my parents played a role in that. I'm sure with how much I partied while I was in college, they were afraid I would blow off school if I knew I had a million dollars coming to me in a couple years."

Bella turned her head and her eyes widened.

"One million?" She questioned, clearly stunned.

"Well, it started off as one million but when I took the account over; I was wise and invested some of the money. The only things I did purchase were a condo in Chicago and eventually I set up a college fund for Makenna. Besides those things, I've left the money untouched and have always put the money I earned from investing right back into it. At this point, I have well over a million dollars and I made a vow to myself to never touch the account unless it was for something important. Our future together, and anything else that pertains to our daughters, are the things that I can say, without any hesitation, are worthy enough to use that money on. So, if you want to go to Bora Bora, it will happen. I wasn't joking when I told you to circle everything you wanted, Bella. _When_ we get married, I promise to you, it will be everything you could dream of and nothing less."

"I… I don't even know what to say. I could care less about how much money is in your bank account, Edward. You know that right?" I nodded. "And, you don't have to offer to use it on an extravagant wedding or even on anything for me."

Typical Bella; she never asked for anything for herself.

"Sweetheart, what's mine is yours already. I don't need a wedding to make that official. I didn't mean to suddenly drop this on you but before things get crazy with planning a wedding, which I have no problem funding, I just wanted you to know there's no reason to worry when picking things out. I would drain the entire account if that's what it took," I said softly as I looked down at my watch. "Let's talk about this later tonight though, okay? I don't want to be too late for work."

Bella nodded her head, but looked disappointed that I had to leave.

I told her I loved her and would see her and the girls later. After a lingering kiss goodbye, I stood up and walked towards the front door. I glanced back and Bella was nose deep in a magazine once again. _Maybe she would accept what I offered easier than I expected?_

I reached for the door handle and stopped at the sound of Bella's unexpected voice.

"Edward, come back here," she said in a sexy tone. "I… I need you… I can't wait until tonight for you to be inside me." Bella stood up and strutted over to me.

My heart pounded in my chest and my feet moved without thought, but I had a determination to provide Bella with anything and everything she needed. It seemed to be _me_ she needed at that moment and who was I to deny her?

I reached her and playfully smacked her hands away from a button on her shirt. "That's my job, Isabella." She let out a soft moan and dropped her hands. They found their way to my cock and she slowly stroked me through the material of my blue scrubs.

Her fingernails scraped along my shaft causing me to groan. I looked down and could already see a small, wet circle from my pre-cum. Bella had always had that affect on me and clearly I was at her mercy.

I looked around the room, quickly forming a plan. I pulled her hand away then grabbed the bottom of her button up shirt roughly, as if it were a leash, and led her into the kitchen. Once there, she tried to pull my scrub shirt up my abdomen to remove it, but I had more urgent needs. Neither of us needed to be naked for what I had planned.

Walking us over to the kitchen table, I pulled my wallet out of my pocket, grabbed a condom as I noticed her removing her panties. I was glad she wore a skirt that morning, seeing it scrunched up around her waist would make my view when I took her even better. I pushed my scrubs down letting them fall to my ankles then sat down in a chair and pulled her down on my knees, facing me.

"Fuck. I want you to ride me, baby, and I don't wanna wait." She wiggled around, achingly slow, until I felt the tip of my cock gliding into her. I slid my arms around her waist and up over her shoulders. Once I had a firm grip, I pushed my hips up and thrusted hard inside of her. We moaned and began to roughly rock together.

Bella wrapped her arms around me tightly and, since she was higher up than I was, my face was smashed in-between her breasts.

_Fucking heaven._

I bit down and tugged at her shirt, trying my damnedest to find a way to her nipples. I became frustrated then reached up to rip her buttons open and heard them hitting the floor around us. My need to possess and claim her was increasing. I moved my hands down and I released the clasp on her bra. Pushing it up and out of my way with my nose, I sucked her nipple into my mouth once it was within my reach and felt Bella stutter in her rhythm.

"Damn, Cullen, that feels… so fucking good, baby." She grinded her body harder against me, pushing me deeper inside her and I released her nipple from my mouth. I latched on to the skin on her other breast and sucked furiously, trying to leave a hickey.

_Mine. Until I could claim her as my wife, I would make Bella mine by marking her._

Bella reached back around her body and grabbed my balls. "Jesus Christ, Bizzy. I love fucking you." I took a deep breath. "Lean back so I can see you."

She did as I asked and I watched her face tense with the new angle of our connection. _Deeper._ Bella started rolling her hips and I could feel every inch of my cock moving inside of her. Between the sensations I was feeling, and the noises she made, I was very close and knew I wouldn't last much longer. I closed my eyes and tried to make myself hold off longer.

"Shit," Bella groaned, and I opened my eyes.

I followed her movement and noticed she was touching herself. I about lost my load right then.

"Come on, Bella. I need you to move faster. Can't… hold off… much longer."

Her skin was glistening with sweat and I could feel it on me as well. Bella's fingers stilled their action and she took a quick breath while calling out my name in pleasure.

After a few more thrusts, I moaned Bella's name and felt myself releasing. She leaned forward and pulled me into the most passionate kiss I could ever imagine as the last of my orgasm subsided.

We stayed wrapped up in each other, calming our breathing, and running our fingers over one another's skin. I must say that the sight of watching Bella straddle my waist, with her white button up shirt hanging off her elbows, her bra loosely covering her boobs, and my mark on her was a sight I would remember for a lifetime. She had never been sexier to me than she was in that very moment.

The long days of July slightly shortened as we welcomed in August. The girls and Bella were gearing up for a new school year. I, on the other hand, had something else to be excited about and needed some help from the one person I had left in the dark on purpose.

In the doctor's lounge on my break, I placed the call I knew I couldn't put off any longer. Her song-like voice answered the phone after the first ring and I took a deep breath before I went straight into the reason for my call.

"Hey, Allie. I'm calling because I need your help with something important. Can you meet me for coffee?"

**~~ E & B ~~**

_**Bella**_

The summer was going by too fast; June turned into July and marched into August. It seemed like we had only just celebrated our end of the school year just yesterday. Makenna, MC and I spent our days together either at my place or Edward's so we could swim on occasion. Every day seemed like a new adventure with the girls. I cherished our time together because they kept me on my toes, but kept me laughing most of all.

The weekend before, MC spent her time with Billy. As usual, she was sad to leave Makenna behind, but he promised she could come the next time. After this declaration, MC hugged Makenna and I goodbye and went on her way with her grandpa.

Esme called and offered to keep Makenna for us and we jumped at the chance. It had been a while since we'd spent so much time together alone. After speaking with Edward, we decided to ride our motorcycle a few hours east and stay in a cabin.

We went on nature walks, went horseback riding and even rented a quad to go four-wheeling on the dirt paths. When we weren't outside enjoying the fresh air and slightly cooler temperatures, we stayed inside and cherished our privacy and each other.

Edward continued to work hard at school. He attended class most mornings and worked at the hospital until dinner time. Most nights we were able to eat as a family, but occasionally his seat stayed empty.

"Bella, did my dad say what time he'd get home tonight?" Makenna asked with a longing tone to her voice.

I looked into her eyes, so much like her father's, and answered her, "I'm sorry, sweetie, but he may be gone a few hours longer. Let's just hope he makes it home before bedtime, but if not, you know he'll stop in to check on you when he walks through the door, right?"

"Uh huh."

"Momma?"

I turned my attention to my daughter. "Yes?" I asked as a question.

"Does Edward check on me too?" I would like to say that MC was sad, but to me, it looked like she was jealous. It didn't happen often, but occasionally the girls would fight for his attention and we'd tried to stop this behavior before it could escalate.

"Of course he does. He's a worry wart and doesn't relax until he sees with his own two eyes that both of you are safe and tucked into bed."

MC looked over towards Makenna. "Do you want to go out back and play with me?"

"I'm too tired. We can watch a movie."

"No, let's go outside and play." MC demanded.

"Do you want me to read my new Amelia Bedelia book to you? My teacher said it's really funny." Makenna negotiated.

"Ugh… I _want _to go _outside_," MC growled with an unnecessary attitude in her voice and I knew it was time to step in.

"Well, guess what, Mary Claire Black? The way you're acting right now is not acceptable. You need to apologize to Makenna first, and then you're in charge of clearing the dishes from the table. After that, you need to take a quick shower because you've been outside almost all day long and you're pretty dirty. Then after that, we'll talk about how many sentences you need to write so that in the future, you will remember to use a nice voice with Makenna. So, you need to apologize to her, then clear the table, and finish up with a shower. Got it?"

MC sheepishly answered, "Yeah. I'm sorry for being bossy, Makenna." She followed up with a hug.

MC's birthday came and went. We tried to plan a nice party for her, but she had her mind set on a camping trip. It had taken us a month to find the time for a four day weekend, but thankfully we did.

I had most of the food in the freezer, ready to be placed in the coolers the next morning and the other supplies were in the SUV. The girls had their lists of clothes and shoes they needed to pack and were excitedly working together to get it organized.

As much as I was looking forward to going away, I couldn't say I wanted to sleep in a hot tent. I purchased a fan and hoped that it would cool things down at night. I'd never been able to sleep when I was uncomfortably hot. Thank goodness the quality of air mattresses had improved since that last time I had camped so at least we weren't sleeping on the hard ground. Edward and I would share a bed and each of the girls had their own.

"Girls, are you about finished in there?" I asked as I looked around my bedroom. I thought I had left one of the bridal magazines on my night stand, but it wasn't there. Over the past month, I had really enjoyed learning about the newest wedding trends. I found flowers, cakes, and some honeymoon ideas that I circled for future reference. Though Edward and I weren't engaged, we both knew it was coming. If I had my way, it would be sooner rather than later.

Maybe the girls were looking at the magazines again? I wouldn't be surprised.

Speaking of surprises, I used the post it notes and permanent marker Edward had given me and circled the dress of my dreams. To say that I wanted that dress would be an understatement. The first time I saw it, my breath got caught in my chest and I stared at it for minutes. At one point, I even looked up the designer on Google.

According to their website, the dress was very expensive but I chose to ignore my inner grumblings and kept it on the list.

_Edward said he wanted me to have everything I wanted_, I thought.

I was shocked when I learned that Edward was rich. I knew his parents had money, but always assumed it came from their jobs. I should have known this because they had lived in a humungous lakeside house that, up until a few years ago, had only been used as their summer house since we were teenagers. It didn't make a difference to me though. I would not feel awkward around them, nor change any of my expectations of receiving elaborate gifts. They were my friends, my family, and it didn't matter how large their accounts were because I loved them no matter what.

It had been almost two months since Edward and I applied for our marriage license and he hadn't asked me to marry him yet. Sure, he dropped hints often and playfully proposed on occasion just to hear my witty refusals, but I really hoped he would get serious and just ask. As it was, the license would expire soon and we'd have to renew it in the future.

I sighed and walked down the hallway to check on the girls' progress since neither of them responded to me.

"Ladies, are you all packed up yet?" Makenna nodded her head while MC shook hers.

"Do you need help packing, MC?" I inquired while walking into the bedroom.

MC looked around her room and then back to me. "Nope. I think I'm almost finished," she said proudly.

"All right, but if you change your mind, let me know." I walked into the kitchen and began to make our lunch.

Later on that evening, we crammed our remaining luggage into the back of the SUV. Edward made fun of me for buying so much camping gear, including an eight person tent when there were only four of us. I explained to him that we needed the extra room so we could separate ourselves from the girls at nighttime. The real reason I bought such a large tent was because, after going overboard buying too many camping supplies, we needed extra storage. I didn't fess up to Edward but he rolled his eyes at me knowingly. I just giggled and walked back into the house to grab the flashlights I'd forgotten to pack.

We went to bed late that night and woke up at what seemed to be only hours later. After a big breakfast and one last trip to the bathroom, everyone piled into the SUV and we drove off. Less than ten minutes later, we pulled back into the driveway while I ran into the house to grab the DVDs I left sitting on the kitchen counter where I just _knew_ I wouldn't forget them. There was no way I wanted to drive for four hours and not bring iCarly with us.

After the first movie was over, the girls asked if we could stop for a bathroom break. Their next request was a snack about an hour later. Apparently, in my attempts to be practical, I packed all of our quick, non-messy snacks in the back, piled underneath all of our gear. We also secured both girls' bikes to the back and it would have been too much hassle to dig them out. Edward laughed as we pulled into a gas station to load up on snacks and drinks. He said we'd never make it and that I should just ask the attendant about us camping in the grassy area behind their building. _Dr. Smartass._ I brought the girls in with me while he decided to top off the gas tank. At that point, we were only about halfway to the campground and running behind in our schedule.

Everyone sighed in relief as we pulled into the Abby Creek Campgrounds in the early afternoon. As Edward walked into the office to check us in and get our campsite number, the girls and I walked over to the community area to check out the swimming pool. It was packed with people and the girls were begging to join them. I had to explain to them we had a lot of work to do by unpacking the car, pitching the tent and organizing our area. Even though they weren't happy with my answer, and the girls held hands as we walked back to the car.

It took us a couple of hours to set up, and about half of that time I spent ogling a sweaty Edward. His chest and back were covered with a t-shirt that clung to him. Our eyes met several times and we just smiled. After he decided to just take his shirt off, my work production was cut in half. Not only was he still sweating, but I was mesmerized as I watched it roll down his body.

The first thing we set up was the tent which was surprisingly easy. Once it was secured to the ground, we used a pump to inflate the air mattresses. Then it was the girls who had to unload the light blankets and pillows but they had a good time working together and got the job done quickly.

We had several campers in the campsites nearest to us, some in tents and people in RVs. We saw other children running around, riding bikes and another family hooked up a small water sprinkler to the water tap and their kids were having fun in their bathing suits. I told the girls they could ride their bikes as long as they always stayed where both of us could see them.

After eating dinner by the campfire, we all settled in for a bed. As we lay awake, we discussed our plans for the next day. It wasn't too much later that the girls fell asleep and we cuddled together, kissing and talked about our day until we also joined the girls in dreamland.

I felt the heat of the sun on my face and groaned. The fan had tipped backwards and fell over some time during the night and my body was overheated. I reached for my cell phone to check the time and noticed it was 6:25 a.m., so I decided to walk down to the showers and start my day.

As I was washing the shampoo out of my hair, I peeked my eyes opened and noticed I wasn't alone. There, in the shower with me, was a frog clinging to the wall. I wasn't scared of much because I knew it wouldn't harm me and was fascinated that it didn't seem scared of me either. I finished rinsing my body, said goodbye to my little friend, and turned the water off.

I heard Edward and the girls outside of the building. He gave them instructions to stay together and to find me first thing. They promised and called out my name as they entered the area. I had them take quick showers as well, reminding the girls why I made them wear flip flops while showering and then helped with brushing their hair when they were finished. As usual, they both insisted that Edward French braid their hair and he loved doing it, so I know he wouldn't refuse. Edward had mentioned before that he felt guilty leaving me and the girls alone for so long when he was at school and work. Before he could berate himself, I reminded him of why he did it and that no matter what, we missed him too, but loved him even more when he came home to us. We all knew his crazy schedule wouldn't last long so we'd get through it because we had no other choice.

We talked last night before we all fell asleep, we had decided to go swimming at the nearby lake the next day. Edward had picked up a campground guide when he checked us in and we'd read about the beach area on the nearside of the lake. Dressed in our swimwear and lathered with sunscreen, we decided to drive the short distance so we didn't have to drag our chairs, a cooler with drinks and snacks, and other necessities.

We let Makenna pick our spot on the sandy beach and she chose to be close to a family who had a campsite near us. The family had two boys who looked to be high school age and a daughter a little older than Makenna.

I sat on my lounge chair, grabbed the book from my bag, and settled in for a relaxing afternoon. Edward played every game imaginable with the girls. I loved watching them interact, laughing and splashing one another, teasing and chasing him. He'd pretend to fall down and they'd pounce on him, declaring themselves the winners. Occasionally, I would dig into the cooler and hand out drinks to whoever asked for one.

The family next to us was a lot of fun. I also learned they had a newborn son, Max, who was three months old. Although he slept a lot, when he was awake Max smiled and made adorable little noises. I talked with them periodically throughout the afternoon and enjoyed my conversations with Max's mom, Bianca. She was a few years older than me and was surprised to learn that she was pregnant again at thirty-five, but said she was very happy to welcome another son into their lives.

Looking at Max made some dormant desire erupt inside of me, and I looked up to find Edward. I sat there and imagined what it would be like to have a daughter with him, or a son for that matter. I'd always thought I would have more than one child, but life had different plans. Was it too late for me? For us? I didn't think so. It would be irresponsible of us to keep talking about making a permanent, lasting commitment to each other and not lay all our cards out on the table. We had briefly talked about it before, but we needed to truly be on the same page. It didn't help matters much when Bianca asked if I wouldn't mind feeding Max his bottle while she ran to the restroom. Her husband and older children were staying back, but were in the middle of a very intense volleyball game.

"Oh, he's so cute. Can I hold him, Momma?" MC asked as she sat down on the end of my chair.

"I'm not sure sweetie. We'd have to ask his momma first. Plus, you smell like dirty lake water." Her face fell from my answer. "Why don't you go wash your hands and we'll ask as soon as she returns, all right?" She nodded her head and ran off.

"Wow, don't you look great feeding a baby?" I looked up at Edward and was temporarily blinded by the sun. I was glad that I chose to sit underneath one of the umbrella's that surrounded the beach. I wouldn't want the baby to get sunburned either.

"You think so?" I teased. Kind of.

"Bella, who's baby are you feeding?" Makenna asked curiously.

I smiled over at her and looked back down at the little guy. "This is Max and he belongs to Bianca who just ran to the restroom."

"Can I hold him, Bella? Pretty please. I always wanted a little brother," she said innocently while my jaw dropped open.

"Me too. I want a little brother too," MC added excitedly. "Or a baby sister," she added, nodding her head.

I looked up at Edward who had a smile on his face as he looked between the girls. I wondered if he was smiling because of the girls' request, or if he was imaging it like I was. Apparently, I would need to ask him soon.

"Girls, I thought you had been asking for a puppy all summer long." I needed to deflect them and I hoped it worked.

Makenna and MC looked at each other and shared a silent conversation. MC turned to me and said, "Nope, we changed our mind. We want a brother. Or a sister."

So my small attempt to deflect them didn't work. Bummer.

"Hi everyone, I'm Bianca. What's your names?" I was saved by Max's mom returning from the restroom. MC, Makenna, and Edward introduced themselves. Bianca said it was fine if the girls wanted to hold the baby and reached into her bag for some antibacterial hand gel.

MC and Makenna both took several turns holding Max who eventually fell asleep while Makenna held him. I looked over to see her place a small kiss on top of his head before she gave him back to his mom to go swimming again.

Edward leaned down and kissed my head before joining the girls, whispering _I love you_ in my ear. It was starting to get really hot and I decided to put my book away and join my family.

The water wasn't as warm as I wanted it to be, but splashing and playing took my mind off of how cold I was. Edward and I brushed up against each other many times and when the girls were distracted, we shared many kisses. While in the lake, I sat with my back to his chest, on his lap, while his arms stayed wrapped around my waist.

"Bella?" Edward kissed my neck.

"Yeah." He tightened his hold on me, pulling me impossibly closer to him.

He kissed the other side of my neck and asked, "Do you really want to have more babies?" He ghosted a kiss along my shoulders.

"Do you?" I deflected his question.

"I do." He responded quickly. "What I don't want to do is wait too long, sweetheart. I want everything with you. _Everything._"

He reached up and turned my chin, making me look at him. His eyes burned with an intensity I hadn't seen before. "Marriage, house, our girls, babies… lots of babies." His hands moved until they were flat against my stomach, slowly rubbing in a circle as if he was imaging his baby growing inside me.

He kissed my lips so softy, so reverently, that I almost couldn't feel it.

"Maybe even a dog too," he whispered against my lips.

I looked up into his eyes and said the only thing that really mattered at the moment, "I love you," I whispered and turned in his arms, facing him directly. "I truly love you, Edward. You make me so happy. You make me want it too."

He chuckled.

"Can we talk about it more when we get home? I don't want to rush you, but I feel like we've been given the best gift in the world and I'm a greedy man, Isabella. I want more. I want it all."

"Me too," I promised with a kiss.

The rest of our camping trip passed by without a glitch. We both sat the girls down and explained to them where we saw our relationship headed and that a baby or two were in our plans. It went without saying that Makenna and MC danced around excitedly and practically had our futures planned, baby names and all, before we made it home.

The month of August was coming to an end and I was a little sad for that. MC spent a week with Billy and called us every night to talk to Makenna and when they had their fill of each other, she would ask to speak to Edward and myself. I had started going into work to get things prepared for the new school year. It wasn't mandatory for me yet, but when I did go the girls stayed with Esme. They spent time on the lake boating, fishing, and playing outside. It made my heart happy seeing them doing the same things I did when I was younger. It was sufficient to say that this time with the girls left Esme in her own personal heaven. On the nights when Esme wanted the girls to spend the night, Edward and I spent the night practicing for our future.

A future that was within our reach and closer than I had even known.

**A/N: Who wants to sit around a campfire and watch Edward **_**pitch a tent **_**with us? We're providing the entertainment, so you bring the snacks.**

**You know what Edward has been planning now, right? We've thoroughly enjoyed all the theories these past few weeks. **

**Welcome to the all the new readers who joined us this week and to those who rec'd, added E&B to various communities and pimped our story on twitter! We truly appreciate your support! 3**

**GUESS WHO'S GONNA HAVE A BABY _GIRL_ LATER THIS YEAR? Our friend and pre-reader, tanglingshadows! Congratulations to you, C & E! **

**Thanks for reading. If you have the time, please review and we'll send you a teaser of the next chapter.**


	22. Come Away with Me

**Thank you to our beta LZTZ, and prereader tanglingshadows, for all of their help and support. This was a long chapter and took up much more of their time than usual. **_**THANK YOU, LADIES!**_

**Disclaimer: We don't own Twilight, but it owns us.**

**Chapter 22 – Come Away with Me**

_**Bella **_

I started to become more aware of my surroundings. What was that annoying beeping sound?

Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

Ugh, Edward must have set the alarm clock by mistake. I was still on my summer break for another two weeks and he had taken the day off. Two days off in fact. We made a few plans to fill our weekend with things like going to the movies and the amusement park, but not once did we plan to wake up early. Actually, we had longingly anticipated being able to sleep late.

I groaned and scooted up higher on the bed, still tangled in our sheets, to sleepily bang at the insistent alarm clock.

"Edward," I whispered. "Why did you set the alarm, baby?"

I reached out to wake him. Maybe he made other plans that I wasn't aware of and he needed to get up early.

"Sweetie?"

I finally opened my eyes and noticed I was alone. _Not the way I wanted to start my day._ I huffed.

The way I planned to was the opposite of how I'd just been woken up. I wanted to lay next to Edward, our bodies wrapped around each other, coming together as one with the rest of the world disappearing around us. Instead, however, I was awakened by the damn alarm clock with no one next to me.

At least I could smell the coffee brewing.

I rubbed my eyes with the heels of my hand, and then ran my fingers through my hair. I tugged the blankets from my body and drug myself out of bed to take a shower before I pranced out into the kitchen to join Edward. I walked into the bathroom and went through my daily routine. The steaming hot water cascading down my body relieved the achiness I had in my muscles. Grabbing the shaving cream and my razor, I shaved my legs smooth, paying close attention to my knees, as I always cut myself if I went too quickly.

Time passed quickly and I used my towel to dry my hair. Pulling it into a messy bun, I walked into the bedroom to get dressed for the day. Once there, I took the time to admire the many changes that had occurred within the past months. The first thing I noticed was, under the window, were a pair of Edward's gym shoes sitting in the corner lined up perfectly next to mine. Who knew that seeing a pair of shoes could make me smile but they did.

My eyes continued to roam the quiet room and landed upon his backpack which had a textbook and a few loose papers hanging out of the top. Edward had been attending classes for almost three months. He enjoyed learning about new things and had exuberantly detailed his classes for me on a regular basis. I must admit that many times it brought tears to my eyes, not only because of the memories of losing Jake to cancer, but also because Edward's passion to learn anything and absolutely everything that he could. We were all so proud of him.

It was important to us to thoroughly explain to Makenna and MC about Edward's career change. Makenna needed to learn about MC's dad and MC needed to discover more about him too. Our conversations were done in short topics, not wanting to overload either of the girls, but to make sure they each came away with some understanding of Edward's decision. MC was excited about the knowledge that Edward and Jake had known each other, but more so that they were friends at one time.

We sat both girls down and showed them my wedding album, answering the many questions they threw at us. Some of the memories were hard to wade through, while others were enjoyable. Overall, our trip down memory lane benefited all of us because we couldn't move forward without accepting the past for what it was. _The past._ History wouldn't repeat itself, but rather we would learn from our misunderstandings and continue to move ahead.

Edward and I weren't hiding from our past, not that we could have, but we embraced it. We had made _so_ many mistakes. I had cheated on my husband. It was a time in my life that I would always regret. I had harbored resentment towards Edward for betraying me, but I realized I was being a hypocrite because _I_ _had_ betrayed Jake in the worst of ways. My actions that night were far worse than Edward's because I broke my vows to Jake the second my lips touched Edward's.

Edward had slept with his best friend's wife and had abandoned me when I needed him the most. If it wasn't for our commitment to talk openly about our pasts, I didn't think we would have been as strong as we were. I had no doubts in my mind that Edward was my future and by working together, it would be a new beginning for all of us.

As I looked around the bedroom, I noticed Edward's brush sitting on my dresser. He also left a half empty bottle of water on the nightstand which was a bad habit of his.

I walked over to make our bed, only wrapped up in my towel, surrounded by a peaceful quiet and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. I noticed an envelope on Edward's pillow with my name written elegantly upon it. Leave it up to him to give me another sappy love letter. I always told him he didn't have to do that but, of course, that just wouldn't do. Whenever I made the comment, his response to me was that he didn't _have_ to, but rather _wanted_ to. Although I never told him how happy they always made me, I think he just knew that they did. The look on my face when I thanked him was enough evidence to give Edward the proof he needed. Yep, I was a love stricken fool.

Sticking my finger under the flap, I opened the note and smiled at his term of endearment. _My Dearest Bella. _He was such a girl sometimes and that thought made me giggle with happiness.

_My Dearest Bella,_

_Good morning, sweetheart! I wish I was lying next to you, watching your eyes flutter open and witnessing your first smile of the day. The one you only make when you catch me watching you sleep. As you can see, however, that isn't happening today. I have something special planned for you instead, Isabella._

I wished I was lying next to him too. He was right, I caught him staring at me most mornings and I used to call him a stalker, but I hadn't for a while. I enjoyed having his eyes focused on me.

_Before you find out what I have in store for us, let me tell you how beautiful you are when you're asleep. The sight is too amazing for me not to share it with you. Your face always gives away what you're dreaming about; it's fascinating to watch. I know when they're good by the way your lips turn upward into a small smile and you let out a soft sigh, whispering words I try desperately to comprehend. I cherish the times when you whisper my name or say you love me. _

Growing up, my parents and friends told me I talked in my sleep. I always denied it and told them they were lying, but I knew they weren't. There were times I had woken myself up by engaging in conversations within the safety of my dreams, talking, laughing and even sometimes crying. Throughout my life, I had difficulty remembering them in the morning, but those around me would fill in the gaps. It was funny at the best of times or otherwise embarrassing for me.

_When whatever you are dreaming about is plaguing you, your eyebrows crunch together and you mumble a lot. I hate that you would be dreaming about anything unpleasant but I love how when I pull you into me, you completely relax. _

He was right. I felt whole and loved when he held me close to him as I slept. I couldn't remember a time in my life when I'd felt safe enough to let myself truly succumb to a deep sleep. In the past, I stayed tuned in to the noise inside the house, especially listening for MC, too hyperaware of my surroundings to sleep peacefully.

_It's truly amazing that your body is so responsive to me without you even realizing it. It's one of the many confirmations we have that we are meant for one another. Our bodies know it, no matter what we are doing, like sleeping, and more importantly, we've come to understand that our hearts know it despite our distance._

Edward said my body responded to him without me even realizing it. What he didn't know was that his body responded to me in ways that made butterflies flutter in my stomach. If he was sleeping and I ran a single fingertip down his arm, he would roll over and pull me tight to his chest, caged within his arms… where I belonged.

_It's good for you (well for me, too) that I plan to never be far from you ever again. I plan to lie next to you forever, anticipating when you will need me to come save you from a bad dream, or to hold you close and try to imagine what has you smiling. It actually doesn't matter if you are asleep or awake, Bella. I want to be there for you whenever you're in need, from now on and forever. My place is beside you and that's where I intend on staying until I take my last breath; it's how we are meant to be._

He was my destiny. I knew that and I wanted to embrace it. I was more than ready to declare to the world that we belonged with each other. _He's stuck with me_, I giggled at my thought. Who's being the girl now?

_The plan for the day, sweet girl, is this… you're going to get your beautiful ass out of our bed and get ready for the day. I've left you some breakfast, including coffee to help start your morning off right. Enjoy the peace and quiet while getting ready because the girls have been taken care of for you and they will be kept busy throughout the day. You have nothing to worry about but following my instructions and I promise you will like where you end up. ;)_

Ah, he winked at me.

_Your first clue is __750 N. 50th Street in Seattle. Find something copper there that you once said in high school reminded you of me. __There's something on the dining room table that will help you along the way._

_See you soon, my love!_

_XOXOXO,_

_Edward_

I could feel my excitement level building and while I had no clue what he was up to, I couldn't wait to find out.

Gripping the letter tightly in my hand, I loosened the towel and let it drop onto the floor. Running to my dresser, I pulled out a pair of black shorts and a white cami, along with a cute panty and bra set. He would be rewarded for his efforts later. I quickly dressed and pulled on a t-shirt that I tied into a knot at the bottom near my left hip. Smiling into the mirror, I noticed the joy in my expression and pulled my hair into a messy bun to avoid the task of straightening it. There wasn't a second to waste when Edward was waiting on me.

Dancing into the kitchen, like a ballerina on a stage, I ate my breakfast and burned my tongue as I tried to drink my coffee way too fast. Remembering that Edward said I had something to help me on the dining room table, I walked into the next room and found a small box wrapped in newspaper. I giggled at the note he had written, '_Sorry, I forgot to buy wrapping paper!' _in red Sharpie across the top of it.

Opening it, I laughed when I saw he bought me a GPS system. Edward had already entered in the address mentioned in his note. I should've been surprised, but I wasn't. I grabbed my keys and purse from the kitchen counter, ran to my room, tripping over a toy one of the girls left, slipped on some black Old Navy flip flops and left.

Once I threw myself into my car, putting the top down to enjoy the warm morning air. I connected the GPS, put on my sunglasses and listened to the directions given to me.

About five minutes from my destination, I figured out where he sent me. I guess we were spending the day at the zoo? That seemed off without Makenna and MC with us, but as long as I was with Edward I knew we'd have a great time regardless.

I dug through my wallet to find my season pass and showed it to the parking attendant. Pulling out the note once again, my eyes scanned it quickly looking over the clue he had left me, _Find something copper there that you once said in high school reminded you of me. _Copper? Oh my god, was he talking about the time I made fun of his hair on our high school field trip? I couldn't believe he remembered that.

I made my way to the lion exhibit and looked around for Edward, not finding him. I must have beat him here and decided to find a bench to sit on while I waited.

"Hi, Bella," Alice spoke excitedly, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

I looked up at her in confusion. "Allie, hey, what are you doing here?" I looked around her to say hi to Ben and Liam, not finding them. "Where are the boys?"

"Well, I didn't bring them this morning. I'm just here for you. That's not true… I'm actually here because Edward asked me to meet you." She was wearing the cute summer dress, pale blue with small white daisies covering it. She wore a pair of her white sandals from her own shoe line. I knew that because I had a matching pair and loved them. She seemed really dressed up for a visit to the zoo, but I was distracted as Alice sat down next to me on the bench.

"Okay… why on earth did Edward ask you to meet me at the zoo? I thought I was meeting him here. What's going on?" I fidgeted with my fingernails on my lap, picking at them nervously.

"First of all, stop ripping your nails off because there's nothing to worry about. Secondly, he asked me to be here because I'm your best friend and he knew I'd help him. I'd do anything for you, Bella. We've been great friends for so long and I jumped at the chance when he asked," she sang as she explained her unexpected arrival.

"I'm glad you're here, but I'm a little confused. If he needed some help, then why didn't he ask me?"

She smiled… and not just her happy smile. The way her face lit up, I knew she was clearly keeping a secret from me. "Bella, he didn't ask _you_ because it's not something you can help him with. He asked _me_ to give you this." She pulled another note out of her purse with a grimace on her face. I suspected the grimace was due to the fact that she was trying to hold back her excitement, but the muscles in her face contorted with the strain on her muscles. I wanted to laugh at her because it honestly looked like she was pooping.

I swear, if Edward kept this up, my jaw muscles would hurt from smiling. I opened the newest letter and chuckled at his greeting. I'd always loved when he called me by my nickname. He started it in defense of me back in high school when other students made fun of me for being _busy_ in the library reading. He told me to embrace my inner nerd, then began to call me Bizzy and it continued through the years. Looking back up at Alice, I thought she was about to bounce in place with her effort to stay seated.

"He loves you more than you know, Bella," she sweetly said.

"I love him, too, Allie. So much," I replied.

_My Dear, Sweet Bizzy,_

_I've come to the conclusion that the Woodland Park Zoo is a place that will forever be a part of our lives. It's a place we can always look upon and have several memories to choose from when taking a walk down memory lane. _

_Seventeen years ago, we walked the grounds as goo-goo eyed teenagers. We paid more attention to one another than listening to Mr. Jackson as he told us the theory on how man was made from animals. A couple of months ago, however, our trip here was quite different than when we were younger. Our daughters were running around full of laughter as we trailed behind, hand in hand, stealing kisses from each other. I have no doubt we will be back someday, with a little addition to our family being pushed in a stroller, making new memories for all of us. I can't help but to think we've come full circle and this is one of the places that had seen it first hand… witnessing us growing together and, more importantly, our love for each other._

"God, he's so fucking sweet." I looked back up at Alice again and reached out to pull her into a hug. I felt such happiness in that moment I couldn't hold back my joy.

"That he is. By the end of the day, Bella, you'll understand even more how much he adores you," Alice stated with loving confidence.

_I wanted to include this place on your journey today because it is somewhere I have always held found memories of you. I even know the exact benches we sat on while we shamelessly flirted each other. I know what animals you tend to linger at longer because you think they're cute. I know what we can't come here without eating… funnel cake… because according to you, no one makes them like they do here._

Damn, he knows me so well. He's right about the funnel cake. I would make sure to enjoy some with Alice before we left.

_I'm not with you now to embarrass you like I normally do at the zoo, so pretend I'm standing on that bench in front of you … Ready? "Isabella, you make my heart rrroooaarrr!" … I can see your blush from here. ;)_

I couldn't stop laughing at him. He did that to me on our field trip, in front of everyone, not giving a damn about being embarrassed or what the people around us would think. He did that out of retaliation for me telling him his messy hair reminded me of a lion's mane. It became a tradition of sorts. I told him he looked like a lion and he roared for me. Every trip since that day, Edward has said the exact same thing to me on the bench across from the lions. It was silly, but it was us.

Wiping a happy tear from my eye, we both stopped laughing and I finished the letter, holding my best friend's hand.

_I love you, Bella. Move along to your next destination so you're one step closer to me. Don't forget to eat a funnel cake before you leave. I gave Allie some money to buy you both one. You can thank me later. lol_

_Program this address into your GPS: 3201 S. 176th Street in Seattle, look for the place we once witnessed love unite two people._

_XOXO,_

_Edward_

I folded up the letter so I wouldn't lose it and walked arm in arm with Alice to buy our funnel cakes. She pulled out the twenty dollars Edward had given her and bought us each our snack and frozen lemonades. A half an hour later, I hugged Alice and left to the place were two people were united in love.

As I drove with my top down, the wind whipping my hair through the air, I felt absolutely giddy. I had no clue where I was headed or what I would be looking for when I arrived, but I was sure Edward thought it all out in detail and I trusted his decisions. I couldn't wait to reach him there.

I reached up to wipe my mouth and noticed I still had a little leftover powered sugar on my lips from the funnel cake I'd eaten. I still couldn't wrap my mind around the reason why Edward planned that little side trip. I had to admit, it was fun walking down memory lane with him. I could never forget our trips to the zoo and looked forward to a bunch more in the future. Makenna and MC loved the animals and I'm sure if we were lucky enough to have additional children, they would love them too.

I took the next exit into downtown Seattle as I continued following the instructions by the GPS system. After a left turn, then, as the lady's voice stated, I continued on for .75 miles and turned right onto 176th Street. Once I took in my surroundings, I realized I was going to the hotel where Angela and Ben had married almost ten years ago.

Why in the hell was I there? Other than me being in her wedding, Edward and I didn't interact too much. I was married to Jake at the time.

After parking in the hotel's garage, I walked into the lobby and was flooded by memories.

_Angela and Ben being married in the ballroom, being declared husband and wife._

_Their first dance together, kissing the entire length of the song._

_Watching them cut the cake. It was delicious._

_Dancing with Jake._

_Watching Edward laugh with the other guests._

_Dancing with Edward._

_Dancing with Edward while the room melted away from us._

That dance was the one where Edward whispered words in my ear that I couldn't hear or comprehend. Words such as _regret_ and _love_, then phrases including that he_ was stupid to ever let me go_. I thought I was imagining them and just continued to dance; my own heart full of longing.

After our second dance ended, Jake and I stayed together for the remainder of the evening, my eyes occasionally catching Edward watching us. I would turn away and _make_ myself focus on my husband.

I was brought out of my thoughts by a pair of huge arms wrapping around my waist and lifting my feet off the ground, and caused me to yelp with surprise.

"Emmett, put her down," the familiar voice demanded. "You're going to hurt her and Edward will kill you if you do. I wouldn't push him today."

"Fine, babe, but for the record, my kid brother doesn't scare me," Emmett laughed and set me back down.

"Hey, guys, I didn't expect to see you here. Are you a guest here or something?" I questioned curiously.

Rose came over and hugged me. "Nope, we're not guests here, but I thought we could check it out for our own wedding. It's a little too ritzy for me, though."

"Yeah, I don't think I'd want to have my wedding at a hotel either, but my friend Angela got married here about-"

Emmett interrupted me. "Whoa, Bells, what do you mean _your_ wedding? Is there something you'd like to tell us?" He laughed and pulled Rose into his side. They really were made for each other, just like us.

Again, I giggled with a smile on my face that Emmett noticed immediately.

"Damn, girl, you've got it bad for my little bro, don't ya?" He made kissing sounds teasing me.

"Emmett Cullen, stop picking on her. I think it's sweet that she's in love," Rose defended me. I looked up into her blue eyes and thanked her for backing me up.

"It can't be much of a surprise to you, can it Emmett? You couldn't have been that blind all these months, right? I know you're a guy and all, but it's pretty obvious don't you think? I'll say it so we're both clear… I. Love. Edward. Did I say that slow enough for you?" I loved arguing with him, but only playfully. It was something we did in high school that was uniquely us.

"I was a blind man, Bella, until this beautiful lady here came into my life. Now I've seen the light! Because of her, I can see that you love him, but if you hurt him in any way, little lady, I'll kick your ass." He was the only person who laughed at his stupid threat and picked up Rose and spun her around until she threatened him with a wrench if he didn't put her down immediately. Needless to say, within seconds, her feet were firmly planted on the floor.

I was laughing so loudly that people were turning around and watching us.

"That was so corny, Em. Being giant dorks must run in the family," I insulted him, not meaning one word of it. I loved that they lived large and loved even more fiercely.

"Giant things run in the family, like how talented we are when we use our coc-" Emmett stopped abruptly when Rose punched him in the gut. "Damn, Rose, you pack one hell of a punch, baby. You just can't go around hitting people. _That hurts_." He whined rubbing the area she hit.

"Well, shut your mouth and I won't have to hurt you." Her response was firm, but laced with love.

"Maybe we should get this show on the road and get home so you can apologize to me," he said against her neck and leaned in to kiss her.

Rose pulled back from him and opened her purse, pulling another envelope out and handing it to me. So, they were sent here by Edward too. What was he doing?

"This is for you. We'll just leave you alone to read it," Rose hugged me, followed by Emmett, who said they'd see me later and walked away.

I shook my head and tore into the paper, not caring to be delicate with the envelope.

_Dear Bella,_

_Last time we were in this room we looked on as our friends took a leap of faith in their lives and became united as husband and wife. Angela and Ben are soul mates. _

_Two bodies which gravitate towards one another by an unexplained force. _

_Two people who don't feel complete without each other. _

_Two paths that join as one because they can't imagine not combining their lives together._

_This is us and there's no denying that we are soul mates._

And with that, I began to cry. I was madly in love with him, and to hear that he believed we were soul mates, brought me such hope and peace of mind that it had me rejoicing in my desire to build my life with him.

_Despite what some of my actions have said since we've met, I have known since I was seventeen that __**you are my soul mate**__. The one person on this earth that was made just for me._

_We already know that our bodies have minds of their own and do whatever it takes to be near one another. We had to live without each other and it didn't work out for either of us. We're to the point where we can't go through life without the other and have no reason not to tie ourselves together in every possible way._

I brushed the tears away that we're running down my cheeks.

_Let's follow Angela and Ben's lead, Bizzy. I'm more than ready to take the same leap of faith with you, my love… my heart… my soul._

_Your next clue awaits you at __17801 International Blvd in Seattle.__ Park and go through the very last door on the left._

_Look after my heart - I've left it with you. _

_I love you,_

_Edward_

I carefully refolded his letter and placed it in my purse with the other two. I stopped to use the restroom and to wash the tears from my face. I loved Edward with a passion and couldn't wait to see and hold him. I needed to have the love of my life in my arms and never let him go.

Practically running to my car, I tried to think about his reasons for sending me on a wild goose chase. The only plausible one I could come up with was for him to propose to me. Nothing else made sense.

I made my feet move faster as I needed to find him, tell him I loved him and that I would have a very different answer to a particular question he might want to ask me again. In my mind it would go something like –

**Edward:** Marry me, Bizzy? **Bella:** Hell to the ya, Mr. Soul Mate!

_I seriously was losing my mind. _

But what if he wasn't planning to propose? Maybe I could ask him instead?

Since I was becoming an expert at using my GPS, I quickly entered the next address and sped out onto the street. It may have been summer, but I thought I could use a pick-me-up and detoured through the nearest Starbucks with a drive-thru window. The caffeine flowed through my body, igniting it and giving me a much needed boost of energy. With that energy, came a determination to get to… International Boulevard? _The fucking airport?_

Holy. Shit. Are we going on vacation together? My answer to that would be the same one I would use if he asked me to marry him. I laughed at my stupid, caffeine-induced thoughts.

I wondered where he was taking us. New York? Paris? Hawaii? Rio de Janeiro?

If I had my choice, Bora Bora would be my decision. I fell in love with it after reading about it in the _Modern Bride_ magazine that Edward had given me. He said we could afford it, so why not go there and make love on a deserted beach, after waking up in our grass hut… surrounded by our mosquito net? Okay, so that no longer sounded like the place to go.

Paris, it was!

_Wow, my thoughts had taken a turn to crazy town. _

I continued my drive, going a little faster than the flow of traffic. In other words, I was speeding. I hoped I didn't get pulled over because it would only delay my arrival time, or rather, _our departure time_, unnecessarily.

After a little while had passed, I turned into the entrance and parked. I locked up my car and threw the keys in my purse haphazardly… meaning I was usually very well organized and had a small pocket inside it where I kept my keys separate from everything else. When I needed them, I knew exactly where to look. But faced with the knowledge that hopefully I wouldn't need my keys for a few days, I didn't give a rat's ass where they landed.

I took me a second to orient myself to where I was walking compared to the large airport in front of me. I had to pull the letter back out to remind myself where the fuck I was supposed to go.

_Park and go through the very last door on the left._

Figures I ended up on the far, right-hand side of the building. I tucked the note away and prepared myself for the long haul. _Paris better be worth it._ I laughed at myself.

The automatic doors swung open and I had to dodge a business man with a rolling bag who didn't care that he almost ran over my toes. If he messed up my pedicure before my trip, I'd… I would… send him to Bora Bora to live with the mosquitoes! Stupid, blood sucking leeches!

I looked around for Edward, but in his place I saw Carlisle and Esme waiving at me near the large glass windows. I waived and walked over to greet them both with hugs.

"Hello, Bella, how're you, darling?" Esme said in her sweet voice.

"Esme, hi, I'm great, and you?" I looked around once more for Edward. "Is Edward checking our luggage? I can't believe we're going on vacation!" I said enthusiastically.

Carlisle laughed and shook his head, "No, Bella, he's not checking luggage. Actually, he's not even here."

I looked between his eyes to try and understand his words. If Edward wasn't there, then why the fuck was I?

Esme must have sensed my unease and clarified. "Oh, I'm so sorry that you thought you were leaving. I promise this is even better than some silly trip. Edward asked us to meet you here to give you this."

She pulled out an envelope, smiling down at it, before she handed it over. Esme pulled my body into a tight embrace and said she loved me.

"Go ahead and open it. We'll be right over there…" She pointed to a set of chairs that overlooked the escalators and continue, "Please talk to us when you're finished, okay?" Esme whispered her question; suddenly she seemed unsure of herself.

"I will," I barely answered, my excitement from earlier had turned to worry. I felt like crying, but I walked away, opening his next message to me.

_Baby,_

_I bet you're sitting there, stunned that I have chosen for you to go to the airport when it doesn't have any fond memories for us. That's exactly why I picked it, Bella. After today, I'll no longer see this location as tainted and somewhere that took us away from one another. It will become a spot that I hope to say was a small part of the best day of my entire life! SeaTac will be a place our family can say was the starting point of many worldly adventures, and also a beacon letting us know we returned to where we belong. Our home._

_I refuse to drag my feet through these terminals like I did that horrid, fateful day eight years ago ever again._

Oh no… I didn't want to be reminded of that again. Only happy times, please - I didn't want anymore sadness in our lives. We'd had too much regret to last a lifetime already. A tear I had been holding back fell down onto the letter, which was slightly shaking due to my trembling hands.

_I will never debate if walking away from you was the right decision ever again because I can honestly tell you I've learned my lesson Isabella. I know I made the wrong choice that day. I abandoned you and I still wonder if I will ever be able to forgive myself. But knowing that you not only understood the reasons behind my poor decision, but have also forgiven me, has made it possible for me to let it go. I can never let you go, my heart… my future._

_When I see the 'Welcome to Seattle' sign that's plastered on the walls in the future, I'll know I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be… fulfilling my destiny with the love of my life by my side and our amazing children standing beside us. _

_When you walk out those doors shortly, let's both put any unpleasant, painful memories we have to rest. We don't need to think about them anymore because happy memories are on the horizon! _

_Keep going, Bizzy, I can't wait to see you!_

_Your next destination is 93A Pike Street in Seattle. Let the memories move with you._

_XOXOXO_

_Edward_

I folded the letter and placed it gently into my purse like it was made of precious glass. Feeling overwhelmed by the sudden rush of emotions his words stirred within me, I began to cry into my hands.

"Shhh, sweetheart, you're okay now, just let it all out. We're here for you when you're ready to talk," Esme rubbed my back as she consoled me.

I remembered the day of my father's funeral and the numbness I had felt. People I knew and some I had never met, stood before me and spoke for hours or seconds, but I never heard their words. How many times could you hear, _I'm sorry for your loss_, before you realized how huge your loss was? Was it when it finally sank in that your father was shot, killed for fucking money, and that I would never get to see him again? I would've paid any amount of money to that fucker just to be able to keep my dad.

The only times the numbness subsided was when Edward was near me. He whispered words of sorrow, loss and grief, but also filled me with loving memories of my dad and hope for my future. As he had said over and over again, I would make it through because he would make sure of it. I found that I needed him like my need for air to breathe, and when I looked around the funeral home, just to see his eyes for a second of peace to know that I would make it through our nightmare, he wasn't there. I searched for him after the service, before riding in the procession to the cemetery, and was told by Jake that Edward was gone.

_That was the day in which my heart was broken by the one person who promised to cherish it._

"Bella, I'm so sorry, honey. I should have fought with Edward to stay. Helping him run away to Chicago was the worst mistake I had ever made since he came into my life. I didn't ask him any hard questions, didn't press him for the truth or beg him to stay. I enabled his poor decision and made it easier on him," Carlisle said with a regretful tone.

"I don't know what happened before he chose to leave and I don't want to, but I must admit I have my suspicions. I know that he regrets what he did more than he can say, but I'm a true believer in fate, Bella. You needed to bring MC into our world, just like Makenna became a part of our lives." He gripped my shoulder and pulled me into an awkward hug. I curled my closest arm around his waist.

"Without making mistakes during our lives we have no bad experiences to learn from. Edward made his worst mistake ever when he walked through this airport and stepped onto a plane leaving you behind. The good news is that my son has changed and became the man I always knew he had the potential to be," Esme added softly. "He is caring, supportive, loving and trustworthy. I loved watching him as he learned how to be a father, a doctor, a friend to MC and I can't wait to watch him become your husband."

I used the shirt I wore as a tissue, wiping the tears from my eyes and looked up into the smiling faces of the people I hoped would welcome me into their family, legally, some day in the near future.

I nervously giggled, "You know, I can't wait to see him wearing a wedding ring either." I stated with no sadness to my tone. "I love him so much, and I don't know why he's sending me all over the city, but I can't wait to see him. Thank you for being here for me. I love you both so much, I hope you know that. Even we when didn't talk, you were always in my thoughts and I never once stopped loving you," I added sincerely.

Carlisle cleared his throat and spoke in a rough voice, "Bella, if we could've handpicked the perfect wife for our son, you would have been our only choice. You've always been more of a daughter to us than anything else, and we want you and MC to join our family officially."

"Alright, you've been sitting here long enough, my dear. Edward will not be happy if we hold you up any longer. He's waiting impatiently for you. So, go on now. Get out of here and go start your life with him! You have one more stop along the way before you see him. We'll see you soon, I'm sure of it. We love you, honey," Esme stated proudly in my ear. I knew they loved me and I just hoped they realized how much they meant to me too.

I was in a hurry to get back to my car and on the road, so I jogged along the sidewalk to the parking garage. I opened my purse to hit the button on my keychain that would unlock my doors. Where in the fuck were my damn keys? I had to dig around until I found them, cursing myself for not putting them in the designated spot to begin with, and opened the door.

_So much for Paris_, I thought. I laughed for the first time since opening Edward's last letter.

The GPS system was cleared and the new address entered. I knew exactly where I was headed. IL Bistro, the restaurant Edward had taken me to for Valentine's Day on our first official date.

Leaving the airport was bittersweet for me. I didn't expect to have the encounter with them that I did, Carlisle's especially, but it was long overdue. I had wondered about his decision in helping Edward escape Seattle and why he did it so quickly. I couldn't imagine a time where I would ever let MC flee like that, but I had never been in Carlisle's shoes. From the talks I'd had with Edward since we reunited, I knew how desperate he was to leave. Carlisle had been acting as a true father would… putting his son's needs first, helping him when he called frantically wanting to get away. What other choice did Carlisle have? None. Edward would have left regardless of whether or not he had help and thank god that he had his dad to help him or Edward would've screwed up his education much more than he did.

Shaking those thoughts away, I focused on getting myself to IL Bistro as quickly and safely as possible. Thanks to Esme, I knew that was my last stop before being with Edward again and I wondered who would be there waiting for me. I had already seen Alice, Emmett and Rose, then Carlisle and Esme. Maybe Angela would be there, but for that to happen she would have to come all the way from Forks. I was sure she'd make the trip, but I couldn't wait to see who he picked.

At that point, I'd jump at the chance to say yes. From the time I had met him in school high, to our first dance and kissing, losing our virginities to each other in the back of my Chevy truck after prom and all the times we spent together since then, I knew Edward and I were meant to be husband and wife. I was confident enough to know that we'd both learned from our pasts and would never let history repeat itself. We had children who loved each other dearly and would only benefit more if were married. Edward and I both wanted more kids and I almost wished that I was pregnant already, although I wanted to enjoy our time and cherish our love making knowing we had a reason behind it. Our future sons or daughters would make the family we built together more complete, a part of our love manifested to create another human being.

_I want it so badly._

Pulling into the parking lot, I tried to find a familiar car and came up without one. I got out of my car and headed towards the entrance. Movement out of the corner of my eye caught sight of the last person on earth I expected to see.

"Mom?"

"Bella!" She yelled as she walked quickly and fell into my arms. "I've missed you, baby girl," she said with a bit of laughter.

"How did you get here? I didn't know you were in town," I asked breathlessly as her hold on me tightened.

"Edward. He asked me to come and paid for my ticket." She finally released me and grabbed my hand. We walked along the sidewalk and entered into shady area with a small bench. Sitting down, I held onto her hand, turning to face her.

"Edward brought you here? Why didn't either of you tell me? I could've picked you up at the airport. When did you get here?" I had a million questions to ask her, but stopped after just a few.

"You weren't told because it was a surprise for you. Edward and I had worked it out between us. I wouldn't miss this for the world, Bella," she said cryptically.

"Miss what, Mom?" I asked curiously.

"What?" she asked in return, smiling coyly.

"What what? You know what. You said, '_I wouldn't miss this for the world'_, what wouldn't you miss?" I started to become a little frustrated with her.

"I can't tell you, but I promise you'll find out soon enough, okay? Just remember this, that boy loves you, Bella. He wants nothing but the best for you and MC and when the time comes, you need to just let it happen. Don't hold yourself back from being happy. He makes you happy, just like you do for him," she said smiling.

"Mom, I know what you're trying not to say, but I've already figured it out. Edward will be waiting for me and I have a feeling he's going to ask me to marry him. I have never wanted anything more, to be honest. I hope I'm guessing right because if that isn't what all these stops down memory lane are for I might just be asking him myself. I love him and I'm ready to marry him. The funny thing is, I'd marry him today if I could," I confessed squeezing her hand.

She laughed and pulled me into a hug. "I must say I'm shocked. I never thought I'd hear such a determined speech from you…ever. You were never one to go out and grab what you wanted, but you would always try to fix the things you had. Your marriage with Jake wasn't perfect, but you worked very hard to make it feel right. Marriage is work, Bella, but you guys had to work harder to keep it together more than should have. It shouldn't take that much work."

"But-" She interrupted me.

"No buts, Bella. You weren't meant to be married to Jake. Your heart belonged to Edward, not him. When you two do get married, and I know for a fact you will, you'll have good days and bad days just like in every marriage, but you won't have to work on holding your foundation together like you did with Jake. _Love_ is the strongest foundation there is. Furthermore, I can tell you that no one on this planet has a deeper love than the one I see when the two of you are together. There's this energy that just buzzes in the room and we can all feel its presence build around us when you're both together. It's a wonderful feeling to know how deeply my daughter is loved and cherished. It's all I've ever wanted for you." She hugged me close.

"Now, I wouldn't be doing what I've been brought here to do if I didn't give you this." She pulled out a tube of strawberry lip gloss and handed it to me. I laughed and pulled her into another hug. I was so glad my mom was there with me.

"Oh, and I'm supposed to give you this too. _Your _Edward sure can get a little bossy," my mom said, shaking her head and trying to hold back a smile but failed.

I took the letter and looked up at her.

"You're where you're meant to be in your life now, Bella. Enjoy every second you have together. Your dad is looking down on you today, probably from his fishing boat, and very proud of the person you've become. He loved you and only ever wanted you to be happy. Go… be happy for him. Charlie will be there with you every step along the way."

And my tears fell down my cheeks. She pulled a tissue out and wiped them away. "I'll see you soon, baby. I love you."

"I love you too." I sniffled. "Thanks for coming, Mom, and I'll see you later, right? Wait, how long will you be here and where are you staying?"

"I'm at Esme's house and I'll be here for a little bit. We'll see each other again soon." She hugged me goodbye and drove away in a silver rental car.

I turned my attention back to the letter, opening it slowly.

_Sweet Isabella,_

_There was no way I could leave out the place that I spent one of the most amazing nights of my life. You were sinful in that red dress, but what stood out to me the most was how incredible it felt to once again have you as my Valentine and to share the holiday designed for lovers, with the love of my life. You, Isabella Marie, take my breath away every single day we share together, but on that particular day, I almost felt paralyzed by your beauty and was overwhelmed by the excitement of our new relationship. _

_As I held you close and we danced to that song, the one I swear was written just for us, I felt the shift in our relationship. It was then that I knew I could allow myself to dream of a future with you again. Thank God my bowling skills made that night happen, huh? ; )_

I laughed at his efforts to talk trash about his bowling skills when I knew I had let him win.

_I promise to wine and dine you as much as possible. To waltz through life with you and to forever be your Valentine, no more check yes or no's needed. _

_You're almost there, babe, please don't keep me waiting much longer… I'm waiting for you!_

_2601 West Marina Place in Seattle, ramp D space 17. _

_XOXOXO,_

_Edward_

I had already begun walking to my car before I'd finished reading. I knew I was right. He was going to propose, I would accept, but it would not be a long engagement. I didn't need or want a big fancy wedding. I wanted our closest friends and family in attendance, witnessing our vows and promises for a future together.

My drive didn't take long, as I was already close to the marina. After I parked, I looked around for a sign to guide me in the right direction.

After asking someone for help, I walked down the long dock and noticed a letter tied to a pole with a bright pink ribbon that had my name on it. I glanced around trying to find Edward. Not spotting him, I untied the ribbon and opened the letter.

_My love… My heart… My soul… My future wife…_

_In life, when one journey ends, another one always begins. If you say __**YES**__ and join me on the boat in front of you, together we can embark on whatever fate has in store for us._

_You already have all of my heart and soul, Bella. Do me the honor of letting me present you with the one thing of mine you don't have __**yet**__._

_I'll be waiting for you by the ramp, sweetheart. Don't take too long. I've been waiting a lifetime for you already._

_XOXOXO,_

_Your Edward_

Where's the damn ramp? I turned and saw it just a short distance from me. Gripping the letter, I ran to the bottom and looked up to see Edward smiling down at me. I stood there for a second and he began walking to meet me. My heartbeat sped up the closer he got to me and I walked the remaining distance to meet him a few feet from the bottom, pulling him down into a passionate kiss.

He lifted me up and I wrapped my legs around his waist, tightly clinging to him. I felt him get a little wobbly from standing on the angled boat deck, and then he walked down the ramp and set me back on my feet.

"I love you, Edward," I said putting my chin on his chest, looking up at him.

He leaned down, kissed me softly and whispered, "That's why we're here."

Before I could blink, Edward dropped down onto one knee and took both of my hands into his. I peered down at him and tried not to get lost in the smoldering look he was giving me. His eyes were the brightest shade of emerald green I think I'd ever seen; I could see happiness practically radiating from them.

He was trying to compose himself to speak, but Edward's smile was large and seemed to grow by the second as we stared at each other. It was clear that we both were mesmerized were finally having the moment we'd waited _too_ long to have. He took a calming breath and cleared his throat, then gave my hands a slight squeeze before he spoke.

"Bella, in the months since we've reunited, you and MC, along with Makenna, have become my whole world. You're the missing pieces to a puzzle that I've been trying to get right for years. I hope my letters today showed you just how much I love you, and always have. You stole my heart seventeen years ago, and I never want it back.

"I want today to be the first day of the rest of our lives because I don't want to wait another second to call you my wife. We have everyone we would want with us and everything we need on the boat to make it happen, if you'll join me.

"You told me once not too long ago that you needed to know that something extraordinary was possible. So…Isabella, will you do me the extraordinary honor of becoming my wife… today?"

I didn't even have to think about my answer, so I said it loud enough for the world to hear.

"YES!"

**A/N: **

**ladysharkey1: **_ Hey, babe, can I borrow your earplugs? The high pitched squeals are hurting my ears._

**jadsmama: **_Huh?_

**ladysharkey1: **_*speaks louder* I SAID, I can't hear because our readers are all excited that Mr. RomanticWard proposed!_

**jadsmama: **_I knew they would, so that's why I put mine in before we posted this chapter, love muffin! I'll make sure I bring my extra set with me when we meet for the Twi convention next week! Can you believe we get our picture taken with PFach in 8 days! *squeals*_

**ladysharkey1:** _Ya know, poor Peter may need to wear them for when you fangirl all over him? Just saying._

**jadsmama:** _*evil grin and walks away*_

**As always, thanks for reading. If you have the time, please review and we'll send you a teaser of the next chapter. **


	23. Walk this Way

**Thank you to our beta LZTZ, and prereader tanglingshadows, for their help and support.**

**Disclaimer: We don't own Twilight, but it owns us.**

**Chapter 23 - Walk this Way**

_**Edward**_

As soon as she said _yes_, I jumped to my feet and took her into my arms again. She wrapped her arms around my neck and buried her face into my chest. Mine naturally found their way around her waist and I held her as tight as could be as I chanted how much I loved her over and over.

She accepted my proposal.

We would be married before the day was over.

Bella would be Mrs. Edward Anthony Cullen.

I pulled back to catch her attention. When she looked up at me, I could see tears pooling at the corner of her eyes as one accidently slipped out. I leaned in to kiss it away.

"Thank you, Bizzy… thank you so much for saying yes to me." I said as I let out the breath I hadn't realized I was holding. "I promise you don't have to worry about a thing. I have it all taken care of and, trust me when I say, it's everything you wanted."

My heart felt as if it was going to burst out of my chest from the excitement that was running through my veins. I didn't think there ever was a time when I was more ecstatic than that very moment.

"I don't care about the details, Edward. I just want to be your wife… _today_!" she said excitedly.

"That's a given, baby. While our family helped entertain you all day, the girls and I were busy getting things ready around here." I waived and gestured my hand towards the boat.

When I spoke to Dr. Morales about my plans after the Fourth of July party, he had been more than generous by loaning me his boat and the crew for the day. I had offered to pay him for it, but he refused stating it was a wedding gift from his family to ours. I was blown away by his offer and figured I would talk it over with my dad so I could find a way to thank him honorably.

Bella's eyes widen as she took in the majestic _El Comienzo_ in front of us, as it swayed proudly with the soft currents that came into Elliott Bay.

"We're seriously getting married on that?" she asked in disbelief, and then added, "Wait! You didn't buy it or anything, right?"

I couldn't help but laugh at her comment and surprised expression.

"No, Bella, I didn't buy it because I learned my lesson after I bought the Harley. Our next big purchase is a house, not a yacht. Come on, let's climb aboard and I'll explain some more."

Bella nodded her head, took my outreached hand, and together we walked up the ramp. Captain Hartman, the man who would be performing the ceremony, was waiting to greet us. I wasn't able to introduce Bella to him properly because our daughters were standing next to him and were overjoyed to see that Bella had finally arrived.

They talked a mile a minute about how hard it was to keep the secret from her. I had actually told them a small lie several weeks prior. Wanting them to pick out their own dresses, I told them we would be throwing Bella a surprise party. I never said specifically what the party was for, which saved me a lot of trouble. I figured if they spilled the secret Bella wouldn't know the actual idea behind the day.

That morning when we arrived at the boat, I actually sat the girls down and told them the truth. That I would be asking Bella to marry me and if she said yes, we would be having the wedding in the afternoon.

Makenna was bouncing in her seat as I explained in detail what the day would entail, but what surprised me the most was MC's reaction. I wasn't finished with my explanation before she jumped out of her seat and was hugging me. She couldn't stop saying how happy she was and how she dreamed Makenna would become her sister someday.

I was overcome with emotion listening to her thank me. I knew that by Bella and I getting married, we would all become a new family. I never thought about how it wasn't just our dreams, the girls were hoping for it as well. I felt honored that we would give them something they wanted so much.

Captain Hartman waited patiently while we had a family moment and after everyone calmed down, he welcomed Bella aboard before excusing himself to check in with the crew for our preparations.

Bella took the girls hands in hers and follanowed me towards the owner's suite that I had set up for her. I explained that a light lunch was waiting for them and a hair and makeup person would be arriving to do whatever Bella requested.

"Umm... Edward. I look like crap, as much as I want to marry you right now, I would like to at least look pretty for you. Maybe I can run to the mall and look for a nice dress? I could be back quickly," she rambled on and as she tugged on the hem of her shirt.

"Isabella, you weren't paying attention, were you?" I narrowed my eyes, and then continued to respond, making sure her worries washed away. "I told you, I have it all covered. You have a dress, shoes, and whatever else you may want to wear. The flowers have been arranged and a bouquet is waiting for you in the room. A cake has been delivered and, don't worry, it doesn't have whip cream on it. The linens are pink, just like _Steel__Magnolias_, and don't even think I didn't catch on to that similarity either." I couldn't help but laugh that I was ending up with a fucking pink wedding like a movie I despised. It was the one movie Bella loved to watch over and over again, every time it was played on TV.

She had listened to my explanation with a look of amazement up until the linen color and then starting laughing.

"Good thing I really love you, Bizzy. I despise that movie and you know it." Her hysterical laugher caused the girls to start as if they knew what we were talking about. I, in the meantime, held it together not wanting to give Bella the satisfaction of knowing that I thought the subject was as humorous as it was.

"There's more," I stated, hoping to finish telling her what I had done for her. "I've selected the music and the crew has it in the sound system ready to go. As we speak, the head Chef is in the galley preparing dinner which be served at sunset. Our family, along with Alice, Jasper and the boys are due to arrive shortly." I paused making sure I gave her all the details.

"I can't think of anything else we may need for you to simply say I do. However, if I'm missing something you want, tell me now and I will take care of it, Bella."

I thought my plan was solid and that I had taken care of everything on the checklist Alice made for me, but I would figure out a way to get whatever else Bella wanted if she requested it.

She dropped the girls' hands and came over to stand facing me. Bella slowly ran her hands up my arms making their way over my shoulders then slipped them into my hair. She stood up on her tippy toes to try to be closer to eye level with me. I took in the look of admiration that was radiating from her face and knew I had done a good job in my preparations.

"Your proposal was more romantic than any girl could dream of. Then, to top it off, you go and one-up yourself by planning a wedding too! I don't know how you did it all by yourself and managed to think of everything we want yet don't necessarily need. I love you Edward Cullen, and I shouldn't have said I didn't want to get married in this shirt because I would wear a paper bag if that was the only way I could become your wife today."

"Good thing for you I know how to shop. Well, Allie does at least. I hope you circled something you actually wanted to wear on your wedding day, babe, because there's a dress hanging in the closet with your name on it."

"The magazines are how you planned all this?" she asked, stunned by my confession.

As I nodded my head, she licked her lips and started to pull my head down to hers. I pulled back abruptly causing her expression to change just as quickly.

"Sorry ma'am. I'm saving myself for my soon-to-be wife," I teased. And, just like that, we were back to laughing as I tried to pull her in for a hug instead of the kiss she wanted.

"Since I'll be your wife tonight, I guess that means you'll just have to make it up to me then. I can think of some places that would like your lips and tongue to touch," she seductively whispered in my ear so the girls couldn't hear what she was saying.

Just the thought of what I would be doing to her later that night had my cock hard and ready to go. I pushed into her slightly so she could feel the effect her words had on me but not enough to where the girls would notice my movement. I ran my nose along her cheek and placed a gentle kiss there then moved my lips to her ear.

"My lips will most certainly be kissing every inch of my wife's delectable body. I think you'll enjoy what my fingers and cock have planned for you as well."

Bella let out the softest groan then pushed away from me. Her posture straightened out suddenly and although the smile on her face was genuine, I could see the internal battle she was having. She wanted me just as much as I wanted her.

While we were lost in our embrace, the girls had turned around and were watching boats pass in the bay. They were used to our displays of affection but still thought they were gross and did their best to ignore us when it happened. I was completely okay with that. I hoped they saw any form of affection shown between a man and women as gross until they were at least thirty.

Bella shook her head as if she needed to clear it, and then called out to MC and Makenna to rejoin us.

After that, I explained that I hoped to exchange our own vows and Bella agreed. I placed a kiss on the foreheads of all three of my girls and went to get ready on my own. I left them with instructions to let me know when they were done and I would meet them on the upper deck for the ceremony.

I closed the door to one of the staterooms and sat down on the edge of the bed, letting out a deep breath in relief. Once again, I reminded myself that Bella had agreed to be my wife by the end of the day and I couldn't help but to reflect on how I managed to pull it off. It was not without a lot of planning, sly conversations with our family and friends, and being stressed out often. With all of this in mind, however, I never doubted it would be worth it.

When I came to the conclusion that I couldn't go through life just as Bella's boyfriend any longer, I put a lot of thought into a proposal that was worthy of her. I had done my best to tell her every day how much she meant to me. I was sure I could have lost my man card a time or two but I didn't care; she deserved to know exactly how I felt. Therefore, when the day came, I wanted it to be just as grand as my love for her was.

While I tried to think of the best place to pop the question, my plan for the scavenger hunt formed because I couldn't choose just one location. I wanted to take her to places that held importance to us. Locations throughout the city that held our memories and with our family and friends partaking in her journey, it would be even more special for us both. They were ecstatic about our impending engagement and felt honored that I had thought to include them in the proposal.

The part that didn't go over so well was when I dropped the bomb that if Bella agreed, I wanted to go through with the wedding the same day, with only us and the girls in attendance.

My mom, in particular, didn't care that Bella and I had some crazy dream in high school to elope. She stated she wanted to see her baby boy get married because she knew it would be the only time I would ever vow my life to anyone. After some soul searching on my part, and negotiating on my mom's part, I agreed to allow my family, Renee, Phil and The Whitlock's to be present for the ceremony portion only. My mom said that was the most important part. She agreed that Bella and I not only needed some time for ourselves, but with our girls to celebrate our new family status. She somehow convinced me to allow her and Renee to host a reception a couple weeks after the wedding would be held. My one requirement was that she included things Bella would want, which then brought Alice into the picture. I was happy to accommodate everyone, as long as Bella and I ended up husband and wife at the end of the night.

Having Alice help me was the best decision I had made, besides the proposal plan itself. The day we met at the coffee shop was the first time in the planning process that I felt like I could breathe. I knew with her guidance and vast knowledge of Bella's likes and dislikes, it would make the intricate details of the day come together easier. Alice, being her vibrant self, made a scene by showing, not only me but the entire coffee shop, how happy she was when I revealed my plan to her. After calming her down I handed over Bella's prized possessions, her wedding magazines, and explained that I wanted Alice to look through them and show me what Bella had in mind so I could make the arrangements.

The one thing I didn't want to know about, and one of the reasons why I needed Alice's help, was Bella's choice for a wedding dress. I was not sure if Bella had marked any that she liked, but just in case she had, I didn't want to look through her selections. I wanted that to be surprise when our wedding day came.

We decided to meet up a few days later. Alice was onboard with my entire plan, ensured me that her best friend would be ecstatic and had no doubts she would say yes to marry me on the spot. My fears were calmed and I was more confident than ever in my decision. It was good to hear my crazy plan to ask Bella to marry me _and_ convince her to have the wedding on the same day wasn't all that nuts after all.

As I pushed the door of the coffee shop open to leave, Alice called out to me.

"_Oh, Edward."_

"_Yeah, Allie," I responded wondering if I had forgotten something._

"_If I wasn't married to the best man on this planet and if my best friend was not head over heels in love with you, I would be all over your ass. This is by far the most amazing thing I have ever heard of. I now know why Bella comes up with her little nicknames for you. You certainly are Mr. Romantic." Alice finished her statement in her signature song like voice and I could only laugh at her._

Everything fell into place from that point. Alice came through and gave me all the information that I needed. She gave me pictures of the cake and flowers Bella seemed interested in. Told me she knew exactly what dress Bella wanted and gave me the bridal salon's information to go and pay for it. She asked if she would take care of the accessories that coordinated it. Alice offered to take the girls dress shopping but it was something special I wanted to do with them, so I declined. I needed a new suit anyways so I figured we could make a day out of it.

I got up off the bed and went to the small port hole looking out towards the bay, noticing it was a beautifully clear day. I had made arrangements for Captain Hartman to take us out to spend the night in a small cove north of Elliot Bay and I hoped the water stayed as calm then as it looked now.

Looking at my watch, I realized I had been daydreaming for longer than I thought. Unaware of how long Bella would take, I figured I better get ready.

I turned and glanced around the room. My new taupe suit that was hanging on the back of the closet door caught my eye causing me to chuckle to myself. I picked a suit over a tux for a few different reasons. One reason was because it was more casual and another was because of Bella's comment about me wearing a tuxedo was preventing her from marrying me back in June. I looked down and saw my new shoes waiting to be broken in while I twirled Bella around the makeshift dance floor. On the bedside table was the boutonniere left for me by the florist; a simple white flower. It gave me the status as the groom and was the flower Bella chose for me without even realizing it.

It was my wedding day. It was the day I was tying myself to Bella. The day I'd dreamt about too many times count.

I changed into my suit with a smile on my face feeling full of anticipation. As much as I prayed Bella would like every detail, I knew it didn't matter what kind of flowers we had. Nor did it matter what flavor the cake was. In the grand scheme of things, those were just minor details because the part of the day that meant the most was exchanging the '_I do's_.

A knock on the door caught me off guard. My father's voice calling out to me on the other side intrigued me. I opened it and welcomed him in.

"Hello, son," he warmly greeted me.

"Hey, Dad. Is Bella ready for me?" I asked slightly panicked that I wasn't ready yet and did not want to keep her waiting.

"Your mother is with her now, so I don't think so." He walked further in and sat down. "I wanted to thank you for allowing us here to witness your wedding today, Edward. I respected your wish to have a private celebration with just _your_ family, but I will be honest with you and say that I'm happy your mother convinced you otherwise." He laughed, reliving the heated conversation her and I shared on the subject.

"I'm glad you guys will be with us, too, Dad. It was never about _not_ wanting you guys here, you did understand that right?" I clarified.

He nodded his head and responded, "I did, son. I know you just wanted to make every dream the two of you shared during your past come true for her. I'm proud of you for putting Bella first. You're brave to stand up to your mother," he chuckled then continued, "I haven't figured out how to do that since I met her."

We both laughed at the truth behind his comment. He never had any hesitations about following her lead. At work he may have been the prestigious _Dr. Carlisle Cullen_ but at home he was simply Esme's husband and was perfectly content with that. It was one thing I always admired about my dad; he was man enough to admit my mom ruled his whole world and I had no doubt that Bella and I would follow in their footsteps in the same sense.

"I wanted to give you something that was given to me on my wedding day."

He reached in his coat pocket and handed me a black box. I took the box from his hand and opened it up.

"These cufflinks were given to your great-grandfather on his wedding day. He decided to pass them onto his son, your grandfather, and the tradition of them being worn by the Cullen men on their wedding day was started."

I took the cuffs out of the box to examine them better. The Cullen family crest was engraved deep into the sterling silver.

"You know how much of a storyteller your grandpa was, so I'm not sure where this came from, but I will tell you the story that was told when he handed them over to me.

"The lion that is standing tall is for the groom. He is proud because he's found the woman that will be his mate for life. The heart at the top that encloses the circle, as well as everything in it, represents how loving your mate is what holds you together in difficult times. The hand wide open, above the lion, is stating that the groom will always be welcoming to his mate, valuing her opinion and partnership in their marriage. Lastly, the three clovers are for luck; one for the groom, one for the bride, and one for their new life together."

He took a breath and continued, "I have faith in you, Edward. I know that you won't rely on luck to make your marriage work. Since the day you were born, you've made me proud time and time again but I must say I've never been more proud of you than I am right now. I've never seen you more dedicated to _anything_ in your life as you are to Bella. That's how I know luck won't have anything to do with the way you'll handle any hard times that may come your guys' way."

I was speechless. I would have felt honored to wear my family's crest on any given day, but wearing it on my wedding day, and with my dad's touching speech, was made even more special. He was my idol, my mentor, the man I had always looked up to and I was flabbergasted at hearing him say that he had never been more proud of me than he was at that moment. His approval meant so much to me; I always wanted to make him proud and knew there was a time or two when I did just the opposite.

I placed the cufflinks back into the box and walked towards my dad without saying a word. He must have sensed my sentimental moment and stood up to embrace me.

"Thank you, Dad," I whispered as I pushed back the lump in my throat and wrapped my arms around him. I wanted to say so much more but that was all I could manage to get out.

"You're welcome, Edward. Wear the cufflinks proudly and know that they _have_ been lucky for every man that has worn them before you." He replied as his embrace on me tightened momentarily. When he stepped back, he patted my arm and smiled. His eyes were glossy just like mine were.

"I better go rescue Bella from your mother or your ceremony may not start until tomorrow," he said with humor.

I nodded my head, still too overwhelmed with emotion to speak.

As my dad reached for the door, he looked back at me. "Don't forget the rings, son. I made that mistake… your mother wasn't very happy that our ceremony was delayed while someone was sent to retrieve them."

My eyes went wide at the thought of how my mom would have handled that situation. "Will do, Dad. See you out there soon."

I walked over to my duffle bag and grabbed the box that held our rings and the girls' gifts. Seeing the diamonds sparkle on her ring as the light streamed through the porthole, made me think of the day I picked it out.

The one thing that was missing from Bella's selections was ring preferences; Alice informed me that she did not circle one ring in any of the magazines. I was relieved; I wanted our wedding bands to be the ones thing I picked out by myself.

I made a call to Emmett and asked for his jewelers' contact information. He immediately knew what I needed it for and gave me shit that I was always stealing his thunder. His playful rant went on about how he was the big brother so I should sit back and wait for him and Rose to get married before having a wedding of my own. I told him he was fucking crazy, that if Bella agreed to marry me, I would not be waiting to get married. I had waited to make her my wife for seventeen years and if she would have me, I would make her Mrs. Cullen that very day. Emmett was surprised at how serious I was about that statement when I revealed the plan.

Emmett being the jokester he was, sent me random texts the days following our phone conversation. He was trying to convince me that he told Bella what I was up to in order to give her warning to get the hell out while she could. It was his style to push my buttons and tease the hell out of me but one Saturday morning he showed up unannounced. Emmett had made arrangements with Bella to surprise me with a guy's day out to play baseball with some friends.

What he didn't tell her was that he set up an appointment for me at Crane Jewelers in downtown Seattle. It was the jeweler he had used and Robert, his salesman, would be meeting with us. The plan was to go there before the game so when I returned home, it looked like I spent the whole day out at the field. Emmett impressed me by jumping in and asking Robert questions about the carats, cuts, clarity and color of the diamonds he was showing us. He had done his homework before purchasing Rose's ring and I was proud of him, and thankful for his support in purchasing something so special for Bella.

I was presented with several choices based off the requirements I gave. Each of the rings were beautiful in their own way and I knew any of them would look okay on Bella's finger, but just "okay" was not what I was going for. It took a while, but one finally called to me. As soon as the eternity wedding band was set in front of us, I knew it was the one that would encircle her finger for the rest of our lives.

"_That's it! I'll take it," I said pointing to the ring before it was set down on the counter._

"_Damn, kid, don't you want to see how much it will set you back before hand over your card?" Emmett jumped in trying to slow me down._

"_Emmett, you and I both know I can afford this. It's perfect for Bella, so I don't need to know anything else."_

_I looked up at Robert who was watching the exchange between my brother and I closely but trying to be discrete about it._

"_Excellent choice, Mr. Cullen." He took the ring off the velvet display holder and handed it to me. "This ring is from the prestigious Piaguet line. The total weight is little over 5 carats, the middle row has twenty-seven princess cut diamonds and the top and bottom rows are clusters made up of a total of one-hundred and six brilliant cut diamonds," he rattled off then turned over the price tag to show me the cost._

_Fuck… that was bunch of diamonds and a lot of money! _

"_Holy shit, are you serious? I'm gonna have to help condition Bella's finger with some weightlifting just to be able to hold this ring up." Emmett interjected, stunned just as much as I was on the specs._

"_I would say this particular ring isn't for the average bride," Robert said with a light chuckle, clearly enjoying the atmosphere surrounding us as we looked over the ring closely._

"_My Bella is anything but average, Robert, and she did tell me she wanted some bling," I laughed to myself at her statement the day I gave her the magazines. "It's the ring for her and, like I said, I'll take it."_

_Robert smiled at me while nodding and then went to put the other rings back in the display cases. It gave me and Emmett a moment to ourselves._

"_Dude... I'm blown away." He lowered his booming voice and looked around before continuing, "That's a shit load of fucking money to spend on a ring, kid. Maybe we should check out other stores."_

"_Thanks for looking out for my bank account bro, but like I said, this is the ring for Bella. I know it's flashy and the specs on it alone will blow her away, but I want something different than the standard solitaire diamond for her."_

"_You're an ass… you know that's what I bought for Rose." _

"_I'm sorry, Em, I didn't mean it that way." l felt bad my brother thought I was degrading his selection in engagement rings, when I wasn't, "I just meant that mine and Bella's relationship isn't the average one, in my opinion at least. It has been unique from the start and I feel like __**this**__ ring reflects that. I want something that when she and I look at it, we know it's as unique as our relationship has been." I took the ring off the display and held it up before finishing my thought, "This ring right here, with the different shapes and sizes represents us, that's the reason why I don't care how much it is."_

_He let his hesitations go and I pulled my wallet out, ready to make the purchase by the time Robert made his way back to us. Emmett slapped me on the back as we walked towards his truck saying lunch was on him, while my hand tightly held onto the blue bag with Bella's ring and a matching solid platinum one for me inside. As we closed the doors of his truck, he reminded me that I needed to get that shit insured today._

Hearing footsteps walking towards my door brought me back to the present. I slipped the rings into my pocket and held onto them for a moment longer. When I removed them, it would be because we were putting them onto each other's fingers. The thought brought a smile to my face before I turned to greet the woman standing in my doorway.

"Mr. Cullen, I wanted to introduce myself. I'm Sasha, the Stewardess here aboard the _El Comienzo_." She reached her hand out to shake mine.

My hand extended and met hers while I said, "Hello."

"I was sent to tell you that your fiancé is ready for you so you can make your way to the upper deck when you're ready. Also, I was given your list of requirements and I already verified with our Chef that everything is set for your dinner. I've just come up from the main deck and everything's in place for you, sir." Sasha smiled warmly at me.

"Thank you, Sasha. I'm ready and will head up now."

I did one last mental check to ensure that I had the rings and tried to run through my vows once last time while I climbed the stairs to the upper deck where the ceremony would take place.

As soon as I walked through the doors I was greeted by my mom. Her smile was beaming but he eyes were slightly swollen, giving away her emotions.

"Mom-" was all I said when she reached out and pulled me into a hug.

"I can't believe my baby is getting married. I love you Edward, even more so today, for making Bella officially my daughter," she whispered wanting our conversation to be somewhat private with the small audience surrounding us.

"I love you, too, Mom," I responded whole heartily then bent down to kiss her head.

"She looks beautiful and is _so_ happy. You did well, Edward." She pulled back to wipe her tear away.

"I can't wait to see her." I was becoming anxious knowing there were mere minutes left before it was time to get started.

Before I made my way to the far end of the deck, I said hello to Renee and Phil who both gushed about how great everything turned out. Emmett and Rose also made their way over to me and gave me well wishes.

Sasha appeared at the door and caught my eye. When I looked at her, she nodded her head giving the indication it was time. With one nod to her and smiles for our family, I made my way towards where Makenna was talking with Jasper and Alice.

I exchanged handshakes with Jasper and a quick hug with Alice then took my daughter's hand. We stood at the far point of the deck while everyone stood on either side of the pink isle runner. It wouldn't be separated by bride and grooms sides normally done at weddings because it didn't matter what side anyone stood on. The people in attendance were both Bella and my family already.

I bent down to have Makenna help me attach my boutonniere. As I heard the click of the photographer's camera capturing our moment together, I confirmed with her one last time she was okay with everything that was about to take place.

I squatted down so I was eye level with her, "Makenna, you promise you're okay with me marrying Bella?"

She rolled her eyes at me; she had been picking up MC's sassy ways. "Yes Daddy." She huffed then added, "I love Bella… I told you this a bazillion times already."

I tickled her lightly causing her to giggle. "Just making sure, Kenni Bear. I love you."

Makenna returned the sentiment and I stood up but held onto her hand. I needed her to ground me while I waited for Bella. I wasn't nervous but rather far too excited to stand still.

Our wait didn't last long and before I knew it, the soft sounds of _Somewhere over the Rainbow, _the ukulele version, filled the speakers.

Everyone turned and watched Bella appear in the doorway, clutching her bouquet in one hand and MC's in the other.

She was so stunning it took my breath away.

Her strapless dress hugged her body perfectly and looked as if it was made just for her. There was a small dip in the material between her breasts showing just enough cleavage but was classy for my beautiful bride. The dress stopped above her knees in the front, showing off her perfectly toned legs, but descended in the back. Bella's hair was down in curls how she knew I liked it best, but tucked it behind her ears just enough to let the earrings she had on sparkle.

My eyes roamed her body and when I reached hers, she smirked at me knowingly.

Without realizing it, I dropped Makenna's hand and brought mine up to my heart. I was attempting to rub away the wonderful yet warm sensation burning in my chest.

Bella kept her eyes on mine, barely blinking as she slowly walked towards me. We held eye contact until she was standing directly in front of me. Bella released MC's hand and reached for mine.

"Bella… you look stunning," I said breathlessly and leaned in to kiss her forehead.

"You too, Edward. This suit looks just as dashing on you as a tux would. You take my breath away," she said quietly.

"Don't forget to breathe then, Bizzy. I won't have you dying on me now." I winked at her and she giggled happily.

With her hand in mine, I turned to face Captain Hartman who would be presiding over our ceremony.

"Good afternoon and welcome aboard. We are gathered here today to celebrate the marriage of Bella and Edward. It's the day they will formally and publicly make their promises to one another. Although this is indeed a high point, marriage is a journey and not a destination. It's a promise that is renewed daily through a couple's actions and a responsibility taken in the spirit of faith, hope and love.

"Edward and Bella.The step which you are about to take is the most important into which human beings can come. It's a union founded upon mutual respect and affection. Your lives will change, your responsibilities will increase, but your joy will be multiplied if you are sincere and earnest with your pledge to one another.

"Edward, are you ready to enter into this marriage with Bella, believing the love you share and your faith in each other will endure all things?"

"I am," I stated firmly, knowing without a single doubt that I was beyond ready.

Captain Hartman smiled and directed his attention to my bride standing to the left of me.

"Bella, are you ready to enter into this marriage with Edward, believing the love you share and your faith in each other will endure all things?"

Instead of looking at him to answer the question, she turned her head and looked me in the eye. "I am," she said with conviction in her voice.

"Very well, let's proceed. I understand you have chosen to state you own vows." He looked at me for confirmation. I smiled at him and gave a slight nod. "Edward, would you please go first then?"

I took a deep breath in and let it out. I was not nervous but wanted to remain calm and remember what I rehearsed time and time again.

"Bella, today I will marry you. You're the one I will live for, dream with, and will love forever. I take you to be my wife. From this day forward I will cherish you, look with joy down the path of our tomorrows, knowing we will walk together and face whatever obstacles we may stumble upon together, using each other's strength to get through.

"Where there has been cold in my life, you've brought warmth; where there was darkness, you brought light. You have made me the man I've always hoped I could be someday.

"You are the most beautiful, smart, and generous person I have ever known, and I promise to always respect you. With kindness, unselfishness, and trust I will work by your side to create a wonderful life together for us and our children."

I looked over at MC and made sure her attention was on us as I spoke the next part of my vows since they were for her just as much as they were for Bella. When our eyes met, her smile grew and I let the words slip out of my mouth effortlessly.

"Including MC in my life has been an extra blessing. From the first time I looked into her brown eyes, I felt connected and I've fallen in love with her more and more each day since."

Bringing my attention back to Bella, I noticed tears falling and reached up to wipe them away.

"Many people spend their lives searching for their soul mate, their one true love. Some people are lucky to find the person they can truly call their better half, while others spend the rest of their lives searching and never finding them. I'm happy to count myself among the lucky ones because I certainly found mine.

"Bella, you're everything to me… _everything_. I plan to make sure to be everything you may need in life from this day forward."

As I finished my vows, I felt the burn in my chest slightly dim. I told Bella how she made me feel and what I loved most about her and our relationship. My promises to her were etched into my heart and I would do whatever it took to stay faithful to them every single day from there on out.

Our teary eyes stayed locked and our smiles mirrored one another's as a moment of peaceful silence was shared between us.

"Bella, please go ahead and tell Edward what's in your heart," Captain Hartman spoke up and prompted her.

Bella reached down and took a small card from MC, then bent down to kiss her on the forehead and playfully thanked her for not losing it. I loved watching them together.

"I, Bella, take you, Edward, to be my husband. I promise to love and cherish you through whatever life may bring us, knowing that we fall in love a little more each day.

"I remember our first date, our first kiss and when I first knew I loved you. But with all the good times we've shared, I also remember the times when we were apart and no longer look back on those memories with tears. Without the dark skies, we would never see the moon and stars."

Bella paused for minute and looked up towards the sky and smiled. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught the girls following her actions and looking up as well.

She turned her attention back to me and continued,** "**Everything that I am, Edward, belonged to you long before today, and it will be yours long after we're married. I will follow you anywhere and everywhere you lead, hand in hand and heart to heart."

Bella paused again and reached out for Makenna's hand. Naturally, my hand made its way to MC's as I finished listening to Bella's vows.

"Someone once said that marriage joins two people in the circle of its love."

Bella held out her hand for me, juggling around her bouquet, I linked our pinky fingers together. As soon and her finger tightened around mine, I realized that the four of us were standing in a complete circle.

"As I look at our daughters, I know that it not only circles you and me, but all of us as a family."

"I pledge to you that no matter what may come our way, I will always be there by your side. I will give you my hand to hold, and I will give you my life to keep. I promise to cherish our marriage and love you today, tomorrow, and forever."

As Bella finished speaking, I fought hard against the urge to kiss her. I knew we were almost done with the ceremony and wanted our next kiss to be as husband and wife. We dropped the girls hands but kept ours connected as we looked over for the next direction from Captain Hartman.

"May I please have the rings you'll be exchanging, Edward?" He held out the palm of his hand as I reached into my pocket. I handed both of them to him and he held them up for us to look at as he spoke.

"The ring could be considered the oldest and most universal symbol of marriage. It's even greater of a symbolism with the inclusion of a precious stone. There's a saying that the diamond was forged in the flames of love. If that's the case, based off the ring Edward has chosen for you, Bella, I believe it's safe to say that the world will be able to see how much love is shared between the two of you." He laughed.

"Edward, take this ring and place it onto your bride's finger and repeat after me."

I took Bella's ring and then turned back to her. She was standing there with her eyes shining from unleashed tears, but beyond that, I could see the excitement for what was to come as soon as our rings were in place.

I grabbed her right hand and held the ring at the tip of the fourth finger as I listened to the words Captain Hartman asked me to repeat.

As I started to speak, I slowly slid the ring into place, where it would stay forever. "Isabella, as I place this ring on your finger, its perfect symmetry is a symbol of our love. It has _no_ ending and _no_ beginning, a symbol of the eternal commitment we have made to each other today."

I raised her hand up to lips and gently placed a kiss on her ring. Tears spilled out of Bella's eyes and before she could brush them with her fingers, I kissed them away.

"No more tears today, sweetheart. It's a happy day," I whispered, not wanting to interrupt the ceremony but needing to put my bride at ease.

"They're happy tears, Edward," she responded in a hushed tone. She grabbed both my hands as they dropped from her face and gave them a squeeze.

We both turned back to Captain Hartman who was watching our exchange with a sincere smile on his face.

"Bella, please take Edward's ring and repeat after me."

She nodded her head in response then dropped my hand to accept the ring he was holding out for her. Bella grabbed my hand again and slipped the ring on before she said her vows, causing both the Captain and I to chuckle at her eagerness.

While she repeated the exact words I had said, her fingers from her right hand were resting against the metal itself. When she finished, we exchanged a smile then turned back to face Captain Hartman.

I had spoken to him in advance and told him of the gifts we would be presenting to the girls during our exchange of rings. When his eyes caught mine, he gave a slight nod indicating it was time for me to take over.

I turned around and called for the girls to stand next to me before I dropped down to one knee and reached into my jacket pocket for their bracelets.

I looked up at Bella and she smiled at me, giving me a silent approval and stating she knew what I was about to do. I first pulled MC closer to me and took her left arm into my hands and clasped the bracelet on her tiny wrist. I wanted the girls to have their own piece of jewelry to symbolize our family and something tangible they could have and look upon when remembering the day that changed our lives. I picked out a single charm bracelet with a heart that was inscribed with _FAMILY _on it. The simplicity of it stood out to me, nothing else was needed to state what the day represented. We were a family.

"I love you, Lady Mary Claire, and will forever," I whispered into her ear wanting to have a private moment with her. MC giggled at my choice of a name for her and told me she loved me too, causing me to radiate with happiness. She stepped back and I turned my attention to Makenna, who was waiting patiently with her hands clasped together in front of her.

After watching the exchange with MC, Makenna already knew what would take place and stepped forward. I clasped the bracelet on her left wrist, and pulled her in for a hug as she wrapped her arms around my neck. "I love you so much, Kenni Bear." I closed my eyes, fighting back the lump in my throat at the thought of sharing that moment with my daughter. Until reuniting with Bella, I wasn't sure if I would ever get married and give her a great example of what a marriage should be. Once Bella came back into my life, however, I knew she would get to experience it. Together, we could teach both our daughters what a marriage was all about and prepare them for what would one day be in their own futures.

"I love you too, Daddy. Thanks for giving me Bella and MC because I love them so much," Makenna whispered back and hugged me tighter.

I looked up at Bella who was wiping tears once again. I gave her a pointed look reminding her of what I had said about crying. She shrugged and softly said she couldn't help it with a giggle.

Bella knelt down between the girls, pulling them closer to her and looked at what I'd given our daughters. "We promise each of you that we'll always be there for you every day. You're beautiful, sweet, loving girls and we love you with all of our hearts. You make the day so much brighter and bring joy into our lives. I can't wait to see how great we can be as one, united family, and as Dr. Seuss says, _'Oh! The places we'll go."_

Bella kissed each of them sweetly on their lips and rose to join me again. Our family and friends laughed at Bella quoting a children's book. I was pretty impressed with her myself.

Bella and I shared a smile and reached for our daughter's hands as we turned and faced Captain Hartman, united as one unit, a family.

He stepped aside and revealed a small, round table with an empty crystal vase and four small pillars full of different colors of sand surrounding it.

"Edward, Bella, Makenna and MC will now combine vials of sand to represent the blending of their lives into a new family. As each grain of sand has many facets, they each possess unique qualities—some known, some unknown. Although their lives are joining and will be blended in many ways, each of them will remain a unique individual, distinct from the others. May this blending preserve the best qualities of each member of the family and make every new day one of discovery as they grow together in the love and knowledge of one another." He took a second to look at each of us.

"Every time you look upon this bottle, think of today, the day that started your journey and reflected on the love you share for one another."

We walked forward in unison and circled around the table, each standing in front of the pillars. The girls looked at Bella and me for the signal to start pouring. With a nod from Bella, we all picked up our designated pillar and took turns pouring sand into the mouth of the bottle with our hands close together making sure no sand was spilled.

Out of the corner of my eye I could see the photographer moving around us. She made sure to capture each of our faces while we watched the bottle fill up with our blended pink, green, orange and white sand, mimicking the colors in Bella's bouquet.

Once the sand ran out and the vase was filled to the brim, I placed the lid on the top and looked around the circle at my girls with a smile on my face.

We walked back to the spots we stood before and faced Captain Hartman.

He mumbled _beautiful_ under his breath as we took us all in. He then asked if we were ready to make it official, to which Bella and I excitedly nodded, then dropped the girls' hands and turned to face one another again.

"Edward and Bella have consented together in the bond of marriage and have pledged their love to one another and to their children - by the joining of hands, the exchanging of rings, and the presentation of gifts—I declare that they are husband and wife, and that they are no longer two, but one, united in love.

"You may _now_ kiss your beautiful bride, Edward."

I wasted no time following that direction. I put both of my hands on Bella's face, brushing my thumb against her cheek.

"My beautiful wife," I stated proudly as I brought my lips to hers.

Cheers and applause came from our family, but I only wanted to focus on the amazing woman who just became my wife. I brushed my lips to hers in a chaste kiss and she started to pull away thinking I was done with her when I wasn't. I let go of her face and wrapped my arm around her waist then pushed her body back into a dip. Bella giggled as her arms wrapped around my neck for support. We exchanged a searing kiss while trying not to be inappropriate with our daughters witnessing our exchange.

After I stood Bella up straight, and she grabbed her bouquet from MC, we turned to face our family.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it's my honor to introduce you to the new Dr. and Mrs. Edward Cullen!" Captain Hartman stated and the applause continued as I led us down the aisle and through the doors to have a moment alone with my wife.

As soon as we stepped through the doorway, Bella was in my arms again telling me how much she loved everything I had arranged.

"I can't believe you did all this, Edward! I couldn't have planned this better myself. I love you so much, Cullen." She whispered the last part before kissing me, "I love you _so fucking much_."

"I love you so fucking much, too, Bizzy," I whispered against her lips, laughing a little as I repeated her words.

Our family circled around us, talking over one another about what their favorite parts of the ceremony and gave us their never ending love and support for our new married life together.

Bella continue to talk to everyone surrounding us and I just admired the beauty of my wife.

The photographer, Laura, tapped me on the shoulder asking what shots I would like taken. I looked towards Bella wanting to make sure nothing she wanted was missed. Her only request was a family portrait because she said she had the most beautiful family in the world. Laura led us to the bow of the yacht and had Bella sit on a stool. The girls, who each wore a white dress with bright pink diagonal stripes, sat on either side of her. I stood behind them and placed one hand on each of my daughter's shoulders. I had never been more proud in my entire life. After a few pictures were snapped, I bent down and softly kissed Bella's lips while the laughter from our daughters floated around us.

Sasha waited for us to finish up then passed around flutes of champagne to the adults and sparkling cider to the kids. I thanked everyone once again for taking part in our day and a simple toast _to family_ was made.

We mingled with everyone but Bella and I were always next to one another, holding hands and stealing kisses every chance we got. I was still in shock that she was officially my wife. It felt almost too good to be true and so long overdue at the same time.

I mentioned to Bella that only the girls were staying to eat dinner with us. She seemed a little confused and saddened by my news, but once I explained that our parents would return to take the girls with them, she seemed satisfied. Her true happiness shone through after I told her we'd have a larger reception, given by our parents, a week after we returned from our honeymoon.

"You planned a honeymoon, too, baby?"

I kissed her. "Other than making you my wife, that's the part I'm looking forward to the most, Mrs. Cullen."

"Me too."

After we kissed and hugged everyone goodbye, I led my wife and daughters to the main deck where dinner was ready. The four of us sat down at a table and waited for the chef to bring our dinner.

"Congratulations, Dr. and Mrs. Cullen," Chef Caius greeted us. "Tonight, I'll be starting your meal off with a light salad of greens, jicama and goat cheese drizzled with a vinaigrette. For your entrée, you have filet mignon that has been paired with a grilled lobster tail."

I couldn't help but notice Makenna's look of disgust as he went over each item. Chef Caius then turned towards the girls and shared what he had prepared for them, easing her worries.

"For Miss MC and Miss Makenna, we'll be starting your meal off with a plate of freshly prepared chips and salsa. It will be followed by steak with French fries for you, MC, and chicken strips and French fries for Makenna. Is that to your liking young ladies?"

Both girls said _yes sir_ in unison, using their manners making us proud.

The plates were brought out and placed accordingly; we all dove in to the amazing meals prepared especially for each of us.

Conversation throughout dinner was light and as great as it had been to share the day with our family, having the four of us celebrating together was what meant the most to me.

"So, I have a question for my daughters. How could you keep this humungous secret from me? I thought we were friends?" Bella looked between them with her squinted mommy eyes.

They giggled and blamed me. "We wanted to tell you, Bella, but Daddy lied to us. He said it was a surprise for your birthday." My daughter tattled on me.

"Oh, he did, huh?" She looked at me, pointing her finger. "You're starting our marriage off with lies, Daddy? How can we raise them to be honest when their father lies to them? You should apologize." She winked at me... just as a true Cullen would.

I tried not to smile, but couldn't help myself. "I'm sorry, Momma, but I knew they couldn't keep a secret from you. I promise not to lie again." I turned the girls. "I'm would say I'm sorry for lying to you, but I don't regret it one bit. I know you girls would've ratted me out the first chance you got."

They jumped up and ran around the table to tickle me. I pretended to fight back, but decided to let them win the battle.

"Okay, I'm sorry… I'm sorry. I won't lie to you again," I said breathlessly.

"You better not, _Daddy_," MC said, stressing the word to be funny, but my breath hitched regardless.

I looked at Bella who had a shocked expression as well, but slowly a smile grew on her face.

Looking back into MC's brown eyes, I told her I loved every little thing about her and gave her a tight hug. It was one of the best parts of my day; she had been joking, but that was when I realized I became a daddy to two daughters.

The three girls surrounding me were my life. I wanted to share every joyous occasion with them by my side. My happiness was intertwined with theirs and it felt amazing that we were all experiencing the excitement of our day together.

Makenna and MC eyed the two tired wedding cake sitting off to the side, clearly ready to dive into the dessert. We gave in and said we'd cut the cake so they could enjoy a piece while we shared our first dance.

As Bella pulled the knife out of the bottom layer and saw pieces of coconut and pecans, she looked up at me with a huge smile on her face. "Is this an Italian Cream cake, from Gelatiamo's?" she asked. I could see the excitement in her eyes over her favorite cake, the very one that she tended to hoard whenever we picked one up.

"Sure is." I beamed at her, knowing I had chosen right.

"I love you, Edward Cullen. This just made our wedding day even better!" She cut the piece in half and handed me my plate.

"I love you too, Bizzy Cullen." I picked up the piece of cake and brought it to Bella's lips. I had to fight my laughter as I just realized her new name finally matched the name I'd had for her on my BlackBerry for months.

She gently took the bite into her mouth as she let out a loud moan, causing not only myself to laugh but the girls and photographer as well.

Bella followed up by offering me a bite but wasn't as gentle as I had been and she made sure to smear the frosting on my nose. I pulled her into me and bent down to nuzzle her cheek, smearing the frosting on her. It kept the girls laughing and the camera clicking.

After Sasha brought us some towels to clean ourselves up, I asked her to cue the music. I pulled Bella to an open spot on the deck and brought her close to me as the music started to play.

_**I never knew such a day could come  
And I never knew such a love  
Could be inside of one**_

And I never knew what my life was for  
But now that you're here I know for sure

_**I never knew till I looked in your eyes  
I was incomplete till the day you walked into my life  
And I never knew that my heart could feel  
So precious and pure  
One love so real**_

No words were spoken as we swayed to the song. Bella's head was on my chest, above my heart, and I had a sense of déjà vu from the day I told her I loved her at my dad's retirement party.

I held her a little tighter and continued to think of every good memory that led us to our day. While it was clear there were so many to choose from, I has also come to except that even the bad times we had shared played a role in getting us to where we were. Having Bella become my wife allowed me to look back at those particular times as stepping stones, rather than bad memories. I could not help but to be grateful to anything and everything that helped us reconnect and commit our lives to one another.

Wanting to keep the girls involved, we had the crew play mostly upbeat songs. Bella and I took turns dancing with each of girls, and at some point all four of us were holding hands attempting to dance while connected.

Some of the typical cheesy wedding songs were played and Makenna and MC got a kick out of seeing Bella and I doing the _Macarena. _ As we showed the girls the movements, our laugher became hysterical watching them dance off rhythm. The chicken dance was next and we pretended not to know the moves so the girls could lead us through the song. They were proud that they knew every step.

The four of us were in our own little world, enjoying one another's presence and celebrating being a true family.

Sasha appeared again with my parents and Renee and Phil. Makenna and MC ran up to their grandparents and engulfed them in hugs. I looked to Bella to make sure she was alright with the girls leaving. When I caught her attention, she wagged her eyebrows at me while a seductive smile crept on her face. My wife was just as eager for some alone time as I was.

We thanked our parents for everything one last time then said goodnight to the girls. The photographer spoke to us briefly about how long it would take for our proofs to be ready and explained to Bella about the package I had paid for. She seemed pleased and was eager to see every picture. Captain Hartman then made an appearance and explained that we would be leaving the dock, headed for a small cove outside of the bay. He said it would take about forty-five minutes to get to our destination and that the crew would then retreat to their cabins for the night to give us some privacy. Bella and I thanked him for being a part of our ceremony and for all the hard work his crew did to make it flawless.

As the_ El Comienzo_ slowly passed through the bay and out to the Pacific Ocean, Bella and retreated to the master stateroom.

"How about we take a dip in the hot hub to relax, Mrs. Cullen," I purred as my hands caressed her bare arms.

"That sounds fabulous, Dr. Cullen," she responded and started to unbutton my shirt. As she slowly released them, I reached around and started to unzip her dress. When I got to the point I that couldn't pull it down any further, I spun her around quickly so I could finish. When the zipper reached right above her ass, the dress fell from her body and pooled at her feet.

My hands made their way up her thighs and hips then tugged on the flimsy piece of material she was wearing as underwear.

"These need to go," I simply said as I pulled them away from her body ripping them.

I placed small kisses on her bare shoulders while my hands went back to work. Her strapless bra went easily and fell onto the floor next to her dress.

I reached around and took her breasts into the palms of my hands kneading them while trailing kisses along her neck.

"Fuck the hot tub, let's stay here, _husband_," Bella moaned and reached behind her trying to find my cock.

I backed away, putting some distance between us.

"Patience, _wife_. We have all night and I want to take my time with you."

Bella turned around to face me. Her hands went to her hips as she narrowed her eyes at me.

"We've been married less than six hours and you're already holding out on me," she tried to keep a serious face but a smile broke through her irritation.

I pulled her glorious, naked, body against me.

"I swear to you, Isabella, I'll _never_ hold out on you again. I just want us to relax and enjoy the view from the sundeck before I bring you back in here and have my wicked way with you." I kissed her on the lips and continued, "I can guarantee we won't be seeing the outside of these four walls until it's time to get off the boat."

Bella huffed but agreed. When I handed her the skimpy white bathing suit I purchased for the occasion, she snorted in laugher. I was confused why it was so funny until she reminded me of the bet we had made the night we went out for Emmett's birthday. I had suggested she wore a white bathing suit to wash my car.

"Good to know you'll be putting this to good use again when my car is a little dirty," I teased.

"I don't fucking think so. You could've just bought me dental floss and it would have covered more than this thing." She held the top part out with one finger.

We dressed and made our way up to the sundeck with two glasses of champagne and a tray of chocolate covered strawberries. From the spacious hot tub we had an amazing view of the Seattle skyline.

Bella crawled onto my lap as fireworks filled the sky from a Mainer's game. While I could hear the booms they made, I was only focused on the grinding my wife was doing against me. She was going back and forth at a deliberately slow place, making for the sweetest torture. My cock was at full attention, enjoying her movements as it became tighter in my trunks with each pass she made. My hands made their way to Bella's hips and I took over giving her a powerful thrust, then I started to stand holding her body around mine.

"Let's go make our own fireworks, Mrs. Cullen."

**A/N: In honor of us being in Cincinnati together this weekend, we decided to update a few hours early. (Or maybe we want to sleep in late in the morning. Whatever…) We get to meet Dr. Cullen, Demetri, Seth, Embry and Emily this weekend at the Twilight conference, but we're most excited to get our picture taken with PFach. If you follow us on Twitter (link on our profile) we posted a few pictures from the Cincinnati Reds baseball game, including a couple of pictures of us too. Stop in and say HOWDY!**

**Cheers to the new Dr. and Mrs. Edward Cullen! Edward's plans were amazing, right? He did good!**

**The proposal and wedding chapters were the inspiration for our entire story. We spent a lot of time trying to figure out what would make our Edward plan an elaborate proposal & have the wedding on the same day. Well…you know how they got here, huh? A bunch of misunderstanding and two life-altering mistakes set the entire story into motion. Don't worry though, their story is not over yet.**

**Pictures from the Wedding are posted on PhotoBucket account. The link is on our profile.**

**Song Bella walks down the aisle to: Somewhere Over the Rainbow by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole**

**Bella and Edward's first dance song: ****Spend**** My Life with You by Eric Benet'**

**Thanks for reading. If you have the time, please review and we'll send you a teaser of the next chapter. **


	24. Can You Feel the Love Tonight?

**Thank you to our beta LZTZ, and prereader tanglingshadows, for all of their help and support.**

**Disclaimer: We don't own Twilight, but it owns us.**

**Chapter 24 – Can You Feel the Love Tonight?**

_**Mrs. Cullen**_

A few days had passed since I married Edward during a surprise wedding he had planned for us. I still couldn't wrap my brain around the fact that he did all of that for me… _for us_. I swear there were days I thought Edward was a figment of my imagination. What in the world did I do that made me this lucky to have him in my life? I had no clue, but I bet if you asked Edward that same question, he would come up with some eloquent answer about fate, soul mates and destiny. He made me speechless at times, and I wouldn't want him any other way.

I could spend the rest of my lifetime trying to figure out why I deserved his love… but sometimes it wasn't a choice or a decision; it was a sense of completeness when you were with the person who was made for you, a feeling that the world was somehow a better place just because you found the one you were meant to be with - your other half. I had been lucky enough to have another shot at making my life with Edward.

_I guess the third time really is the charm!_

Edward had to be the most loving man on the planet. He had gone through so much trouble to pull off our ceremony. He said although there were many times he asked our moms, Alice, and even Emmett for help, the majority of the planning had been done by him. The morning after the wedding, I grilled him on how he pulled everything off and thoroughly enjoyed his stories. I would have loved to watch the women in the shops swooning over Edward as he explained what he wanted based off of a picture out of a bridal magazine. Most men step back and let the bride handle the arrangements, yet he stepped up and made them all on his own, even taking the girls dressing shopping.

Makenna and MC were spending the week with Edward's parents, along with my mom and Phil who stayed with them at the Cullen's house. We had spoken with our daughters each day and they were having a blast. With four doting and loving grandparents who fussed over their every need and whim it was a honeymoon for us and a vacation for them.

MC couldn't stop talking about her _new_ Grandpa Carlisle who took them out on a boat and let her steer. Edward went into protective mode and reminded his dad to make sure the girls wore their lifejackets. I had to laugh at the papa bear side of him. Carlisle was insulted and didn't find it funny.

I had spoken to Makenna several times, and she was enjoying spending time with my mom, learning how to make a quilt out of clothes that no longer fit. They called it her memory blanket, and I had Renee text me a picture of the work they'd done so far. I was glad Makenna was bonding with my mom, because that was one more person who would adore her and continue to build her confidence. My mom was also impressed with Makenna's storytelling voices while she read at bedtime. Edward couldn't wipe the smile off of his face to save his life the entire afternoon after hearing that. Edward was the reason Makenna was so passionate about reading.

I missed my girls so very much, but I enjoyed the time I had with my husband.

_Edward Cullen is my husband!_

Since the beginning of our honeymoon, my dreams had been full of some very vivid memories of our wedding, but mostly, our wedding night. Flashes of our time together splashed through my mind as I slept.

"_I love you, Mrs. Cullen," Edward said as he pulled my white, bikini bottoms down my legs. "I love you so much," he whispered against the inside of my thigh before he placed a kiss there._

"_Please, baby…" I took a shuddering breath. "Please don't stop. That feels…" My words trailed off as his tongue replaced his lips._

_He sped up his movements then used his fingers to tease me. "Tell me how it feels." His warm breath barely touched my skin._

"_Ooh… it feels… Edward," I pleaded, reaching down to pull him on top of me. I looked into my husband's green eyes and knew that we were only at the beginning of our forever._

"_Hold on, beautiful." He reached for the drawer of the nightstand, but I held his arm to stop him. "I need to grab a condom, sweetheart."_

_When I didn't release my hold, Edward turned to look at me with a confused expression, and I shook my head no._

"_Sweetheart, what's wrong?" Of course he would worry. _

"_Edward." I reached for his hand then kissed his wedding ring. I looked back into his eyes and knew I was making the right decision._

When I had walked down the aisle on my wedding day, I looked up to see all the people I loved supporting us. Alice and Jasper along with their boys, Emmett and Rose who stood next to Esme and Carlisle, and my mom was standing in front of Phil who had his arms wrapped around her waist, smiling at me the closer I got to them. I wanted MC and I to sprint the rest of the way after seeing Makenna standing near Edward at the end of the aisle, with the same excitement shining through their emerald eyes. _It was a sight I knew I would never forget_. It felt like I was walking towards my home; to the place I'd felt my heart and soul belonged. Being with Edward was where I was destined to be. Our fates had merged into one that day back in high school when Edward slipped a Valentine's Day card into my locker and asked me to be his girlfriend. When our lips touched for the first time during our school dance, we become one… we were soul mates.

Together we would raise our girls in a house filled with love. We'd buy a house, the girls would want to adopt a dog, and Edward and I would grow old with each other. But before all of that, we would try to add to our family. A little bit of me would join with a little piece of him to create our son or daughter. We had spoken about it several times, so I knew we were ready.

Edward and I had put in the time and effort to make our relationship strong and steady. We could _never_ be torn apart.

"_Isabella, tell me…" he pleaded._

"_I don't want to use any protection. I want… I think we should just let things happen. We don't have to try for a baby, but we don't have to prevent one either." My eyes begged him to agree._

_He closed his eyes and sighed. When he reopened them, I could see my desire mirrored in his tear-filled eyes. "Bella, I love you so much, and I promise you, we'll make beautiful babies together." He moved to align himself with me, and we spent the night wrapped around each other._

The room was still dark as I felt kisses being scattered across my naked body – stomach, breasts, neck and then my lips. I turned my body to face his without thought but with a purpose. We were insatiable. At one point I had opened my eyes and watched our shadows on the wall tangling together, mirroring our movements. It was erotic and sexy, an intimate dance as our bodies lovingly united as one. I closed my eyes again and lost myself in him.

Several hours later, the sun was beaming through the bedroom windows just like it had done the previous days. I stretched out my sore body and rolled away from my spot on Edward's chest. He rolled with me and rested his arm across my bare stomach.

"Good morning," I said as I interlaced my fingers through his.

"Morning, Isabella Cullen." Those were the first words out of his mouth every morning. It made me smile every time.

"I'm so sore." I groaned, trying to flex the muscles in my legs to loosen them.

"Sorry," Edward said with a little bit of pride in his voice, even as he tried to camouflage it as remorse.

I giggled as I looked at my wedding ring again. I was amazed by its beauty and design, happy he had chosen a band, so I wouldn't have to worry about knocking a solitaire diamond when I reached for things. It also helped that it was a badass ring. Shit, I'd tried to count the number of diamonds several times already and decided it was a waste of time after I reached fifty.

"What are you laughing at, sweet girl?" He already knew, because every time I looked at my ring I felt overwhelmed by the commitment it represented.

"Nothing," I said with a laugh.

"Uh huh, sure it's nothing. I bet you're admiring the bling I bought for my wife, aren't you?" He kissed my neck.

"Yep, you caught me." I turned my head to kiss him. "Thank you for everything, Edward. You didn't have to go through all that trouble by yourself, nor did I need an expensive ring like this, but I love everything about our wedding. It was exactly what I would've planned if given the chance. Well, maybe not the yacht, because I don't know anyone who owns one, but you know what I mean…" I kissed him again. "Thanks for wanting to be my husband."

"Being your husband is all I ever want to do for the rest of my life, Bella. I'm nothing without you." We kissed again, but I really was too sore for us to take it any farther than kissing.

"Do you still want to go whale watching today?" I asked Edward, because I really wanted to go.

"Hell yes! Neither of us has ever done that before, and after talking to that guy down at the marina, he has an excursion scheduled for eleven. We should probably start getting ready, don't you think?" He asked excitedly.

I nodded my head in agreement, and we spent the next hour showering, dressing and eating breakfast.

The morning after our wedding, we had stopped to say goodbye to Makenna and MC, along with our family. We had to pack for our honeymoon and hit the road, driving north.

Edward said he would have flown us to Hawaii, but he knew I wouldn't want to be that far away from the girls, even though I had no doubt they'd be fine. He said sometimes you need the weeks and months of planning to mentally prepare to leave your kids behind, and he didn't want to rob me of that. Instead, he rented a beach house on the San Juan Islands, a chain of islands located between Washington state and Canada.

The drive there was beautiful, large trees to one side of the highway and the water on the other. In front of us was the snow covered peak of Mt. Baker, and I knew the Olympic and Cascade Mountains were also nearby. We had a leisurely trip aboard the Washington State Ferry, which shuttled us from the mainland to the largest of the many islands that filled the horizon.

After checking in at the rental office, my breath caught upon us pulling up to our beach house. It was secluded and nestled in a small cove away from everything. It was a two-story cedar house, with glass windows from floor to ceiling that looked out onto the beach. There was a deck across the back of it with steps that led down to our private beach.

The inside had a relaxed feel yet was also comprised of modern lines. The black leather couch in the main room faced the stone fireplace. Upon walking into the kitchen, I opened the refrigerator to find it was stocked with food prior to our arrival. Edward explained the cost of food was included in the rental fee, and that he was provided with a checklist for choosing which items would be there. The master bedroom had an attached bathroom with a huge tub I couldn't wait to use.

After unpacking we were tired and didn't feel like making a huge meal. So, Edward suggested we relax on the beach with a small fire and grill some hotdogs and some marshmallows for S'mores. As I sat between his legs after eating, looking out over the water, I had the time of my life. Our conversations were never forced or dull, we spoke about many things, including Edward and Makenna moving in with me and MC until we could buy a larger house that could accommodate a growing family and just a bunch of random, silly thoughts that popped into our heads.

The only hitch in our conversation came when we discussed how to pay for our new house. I wanted to use the money we'd make from the sale of my house. After I'd gotten Jake's life insurance, I'd paid it off, along with all the other debts I had. I'd put the rest of the money into an account for MC's college fund.

My house had been paid off with Jake's life insurance money, along with any other debts I had. The rest of the money was put into an account for MC's college fund. It took us a while to agree, but Edward said that every dollar of the sale from my house should go into her account, as well. The money ultimately came from her father, and he said Jake would take pride in knowing he helped his daughter throughout her lifetime by paying for her college education. With that logic in mind, I told Edward it was a good idea and went along with him. I would find other ways of contributing to our dream house.

Since Edward leased his furnished condo and all of their belongings were still in storage, we would leave them there until we moved. His only request was to purchase bunk beds for MC's bedroom, since they would need to share a room in the meantime. I quickly agreed, simply because I knew how much the girls would love the idea.

Before we walked back up to the house from our spot on the beach, Edward wrote in the sand, _Edward loves Bella_, and we sat there until the rising tide washed it away.

We spent the next day riding scooters while traveling around the island. The most beautiful place was Lime Kiln Point State Park that is set on the west side of San Juan Island. The park was considered one of the best places in the world to view whales, and it was common to spot Orca whales in the waters below the rocky shoreline. We climbed to the top of the lighthouse for a better view but didn't spot any whales that afternoon.

One of the locals we ran into told us about a small fudge shop called The Fudge Factory. She also mentioned there was a local music festival in the same part of town. We rode over and spent the evening eating, listening to various bands playing and dancing together in the crowds of people. I finally proved to Edward that he had no bowling skills. I teased him while we danced that I was the reason we had our first date, because I let him win that night back in January; his manly pride didn't believe me. After a lot of trash talking and three losses later, Edward conceded victory and declared me the winner.

I let _him_ win later that night when we were alone. Marriage was a give and take, right?

Edward held my hand as we climbed onboard the Schooner we would take to whale watch. The captain was a short, portly man with a mustache that reminded me of an old western –thick, long, and curled up at the ends. He called himself Captain Stash, which made me laugh as I was tucked into my husband's side. There were four other couples with us, one whom was also on their honeymoon.

After three hours of sailing, we had only spotted two Orcas, but they were amazing. We didn't realize how large they were until we found ourselves within twenty yards of them. Edward snapped more than a hundred pictures during our voyage, and I couldn't wait to get home and check them all out. We had our picture taken on the boat by the other honeymooners who also insisted taking a second picture of us kissing since we were on our honeymoon, as well. Naturally, we did the same for them.

Spending time together while we explored the island was a hell of a lot of fun, but the best part of our honeymoon was the time we spent discovering each other. Picnics on the beach, long walks exploring the island, and leisurely naps filled our days, while moonlight swimming, campfires and making love filled our nights; it was the perfect balance for us. I felt like with each day that passed on the island, our future was mapped out a little bit more, making me excited to see those plans through. There would always be unexpected things in life but I knew with Edward by my side, I could face whatever was in store for us. He was the best man, father and husband in the whole world. After seeing the lengths he went through to give me the proposal and wedding of my dreams, I had no doubts he would ensure the girls and I would always be happy and know how much we were loved.

"I love you, Edward," I said, feeling my love for him in every part of my body.

Edward smiled. "I love you, too, Isabella."

I couldn't ask for a better future than one filled with his love.

**~~ E & B ~~**

_**Mr. Cullen**_

The San Juan Islands turned out to be the perfect escape. They had activities and shops to entertain us and a variety of restaurants to eat at. The locals were friendly and made us feel welcome everywhere we went. The best part was the secluded beach house I rented; it was incredible and allowed us to hide from the world. Being together was the most important thing, and I wanted to keep my wife all to myself as much as possible.

Most of our days were spent on the private beach or out touring the island. I wasn't shocked when Bella felt the urge to take advantage of our complete privacy and have her way with me. Earlier in the week, we decided to venture out and enjoyed a whale watching day excursion. We met another couple who on their honeymoon and ended up hanging out with them throughout the boat ride. Kayaking mid-week wouldn't have been so bad if Bella had some muscles and could have kept up with her part. There was a steady breeze that day, making the current strong. I ended up paddling us as she sat in the front lounging, laughing at my foul language. The full body massage she gave me later was incredible though, and I would gladly paddle us back to Seattle to get that kind of attention from my wife'shands again.

_My wife_. I could not stop referring to Bella as my wife. She laughed at me every time she heard it effortlessly roll off my tongue but made sure I knew how much she loved being Mrs. Cullen and was okay with me using her new title.

Moonlight streamed through the French doors that we left open, causing me to stir from a deep sleep. Looking at the clock, I noticed we had only been asleep for a couple of hours. We couldn't seem to get enough of one another and were barely able to make it through dinner at a restaurant before we hurried back to the house and christened the stairs. To say we were too eager to make it up to the bedroom would have been an understatement. We had become insatiable, and I didn't see anything wrong with that. Not only were we newlyweds, but after our conversation about having a baby, we didn't want to waste any time.

There was just something different about having sex with your wife compared to her being just a girlfriend. Making love on our wedding night was the most gratifying sexual experience I'd ever had. It was a feeling I would never forget and was relieved to see that she was feeling the same way.

I tried to close my eyes, but all I could do was lie there and stare at Bella. I was tired from spending the day out in the sun, but she captivated all of my attention, causing me to forget about sleep all together.

Bella was lying on her stomach with her head turned away from me. Locks from her long hair cascaded down the naked flesh of her back, fanning the stark white sheets that lay underneath us. The comforter was resting right above her ass, but a sliver of it was peeking out at me. Taunting me really, telling me to reach out and grab it.

My wife was stunning, even in her sleep.

I could see the rise and fall her chest took with each breath and could hear the muffled sounds she made while lost in her dreams. That was one of my favorite sights in the world; I could never tire of watching her and wondering what she was dreaming about. I hoped it was about me and our future together, because I already knew whatever was in store for us would be like every dream I ever had come true.

That night's dream, however, must have been even better than us growing old and gray together, sitting in rocking chairs out on the front porch. Bella was making small moaning sounds, and every once in awhile I could hear my name escape. She was having a sex dream, and I fucking loved it. Not to mention that I was so turned on by it I thought I would cum just by listening to the sounds she was making.

I must admit I wanted to watch and see what unfolded, curious as to how far her mind and body would take it. I prayed to the pervy gods above she would start touching herself or at least get off while I watched her.

I kept waiting for one of her hands to leave its spot on the pillow and move down her body. I would let her go at it for awhile, and then I would definitely jump in and take over. I loved the feel of Bella falling apart at the mercy of my hands. It made me ecstatic and proud to know it finally was my job, officially, to make her come undone like that. With our past, it was even more important to me and would be something I cherished for the rest of my life.

Bella's hand never traveled south, but when her soft moans picked up, my cock and I couldn't take it anymore. A powerful wave of desire ran through my veins, and I needed her. I wanted to run my hands along her silky skin, feeling the dips and curves of her hourglass shape. My lips ached to skim across her long neck, between the valley of her breasts and down to her belly button. My tongue wanted to circle, flick and lick her nipples, causing them to pebble and yearn to be sucked on. More than anything in that moment though, I wanted to bury myself inside of her and explode. My cock was rock hard, and only Bella would be able to satisfy the lust that was consuming me.

I pushed the blankets off me and slowly rose up on my knees, not wanting to wake her up just yet. I carefully straddled Bella's legs on either side of me and started rubbing down her back in small circles. Her soft moans increased the closer I moved to her ass. My hands kneaded both cheeks while I slowly lowered myself down to kiss the exposed parts of her bare shoulders.

My touch caused Bella to stir with each movement I made. My cock started to grind against her, desperate for some friction. Rubbing against her wasn't enough to get me off but would hold me off a little bit longer.

"Edward?" Bella called out to me. Her voice was raspy from sleep, and I could hear how disoriented she was.

"Yes, baby. I'm right here," I said softly as I continued to caress and kiss her. I noticed her body started to rock, slowly finding its own rhythm. I was sure with the dreams she had, along with my movements, she was in need of her own release. It was one of the fucking hottest sights I had ever seen. Bella was never shy when it came to sex, but she never had taken care of her own needs like that in front of me.

"Mmm… feels so good. Don't stop," she requested in a breathy voice that just about took me over the edge.

"No way, Bizzy; I'm not done with you. I'm just getting started, baby," I whispered in her ear before seeking out her earlobe and sucking it into my mouth. I stopped rubbing her ass for a moment, and with my right hand I grabbed hers off the pillow and moved it under her body. I guided it to her slick, wet flesh, knowing her rotating against the bed would get her nowhere. I expected her to protest and say she couldn't do it, but she didn't. She had no hesitation at all and lifted her ass up a little to allow her hand to make circles against her clit.

_Fuck… that was hot! _

I slightly rolled off her body, allowing her the room she would need while I stroked myself a couple times out of pure need. I had precum dripping down my cock. It was only a matter of time before I exploded.

A load moan ripped through my body, letting Bella know her actions were turning me on. My sounds fueled her fire, and I could see her arm start to move faster. It was clear that she was alternating between circular motions and back and forth as she pleasured herself.

The only thing I could do was pump faster, and as my pace increased, so did my grunts. I didn't want to make myself cum; I wanted it to be her body that brought me the ecstasy I was craving. I spread her legs a little so I had a better view, but watching two of her own fingers pump in and out of her body did me in. There was no more waiting.

"Fuck… Bella, that's so fucking hot. I need you now!" I grunted out, not sure if I could hold off any longer.

"Hurry the fuck up, Edward," was all she said, and that was fine with me.

I spread her legs wider and grabbed my cock and positioned myself at her entrance. Looking down I could see how wet she was already. Between the sight of her body and the desperation in her voice, I could not hold back giving into the needs we both had. I pushed the head of my cock in slowly, groaning at the sensation as she engulfed me with her warmth.

Bella's back arched off the bed, taking me in deeper the further she pushed up. Desperate pleas escaped from both of us, filling the room with sounds other than the waves crashing from outside.

She stayed lying on her stomach but kept her ass up slightly, giving me the best angle to fuck her. My body took over at that point, setting a pace that pleased us both. I saw the sweat on her back and could feel it starting to form on my forehead; we were giving it all we had. My hands held her hips tight as I thrusted into her over and over.

"Edward… that feels so fucking good. Don't you dare stop," Bella demanded.

"Never, baby. I'll fuck you… all night… if that's what you want." I grunted between thrusts. Not sure how I would keep that promise at that moment since I could already feel my balls tightening, and the pit in my stomach starting to tingle. I would do it though; I would make sure her every need and desire was taken care of.

"Touch yourself again, Bella." I demanded, and she immediately put her hand back to work. The feel of her touching our connected bodies while she stroked my cock as it moved in and out of her was the most fucking amazing sensation ever. It made me increase my pace; seeking out the orgasm I was chasing even more.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed her left hand was gripping the pillow tightly and the diamonds from her wedding ring sparkled in the moonlight. Seeing _my_ ring on her finger, binding her to me, triggered so many emotions. It made me want to mark her in the most primal way to let the world know she was mine, only mine, and that was how it would be… forever. Those feelings drove me wild.

Our movements picked up, and her moans turned into grunts. It sounded as if I was pushing and pulling the breaths out of her with every thrust. Sweat was now glistening on both of our bodies, making us glide against each other effortlessly. The bed was bouncing and squeaking from our movements, creating the most erotic music.

"That's it, baby, keep… going. Keep making… yourself feel good as I… fuck you. It turns me on… watching you touch yourself. It feels good to have… my cock fill you, huh, Bizz?" I was panting, barely able to get any words out but wanting to keep her moving. I was praying her own touches and my dirty talk would take her over the edge, because there was no way in hell I would allow myself finish before she did.

"It does Edward… it feels so… fucking… good." With that, I felt her body start to jerk and heard a muffled scream as her head fell onto the pillow. I bit down on my lip, trying to hold off just a little bit longer, letting her ride out her orgasm.

As soon as her body started to relax, I emptied myself deep inside her body.

"FUCK, BELLA," I roared.

After I felt she had taken everything my body had to give, my head dropped, and I slumped over her limp body. I was completely spent after the most intense lovemaking we had shared.

"Mmm… now that's the way to be woken up, husband." She giggled and rolled over onto her side her to face me, knocking me off of her.

I laid my head down then pulled her body close to me, before I gave into the urge to close my eyes. We needed a shower, but there was no way my body would allow me to move at the moment.

My hands slowly stroked her hair, and my lips gravitated to hers every couple minutes for a chaste kiss. No words were spoken, and none were needed; we were just enjoying each other's presence.

A couple years ago, never in my wildest dreams would I ever have thought I would find my way back to Bella. If I wouldn't have, my body would not have known pleasure, and my heart would never have remembered how much love it could give and receive.

I would regret the decision to walk away from her, both times, for the rest of my life, however, I was thankful God gave me a third chance to be with the woman who had owned me for over half my life.

The day she agreed to be my wife was one of the best days of my entire life and being on our honeymoon to celebrate that was exhilarating. A week to love, cherish and worship her with my undivided attention was heaven on fucking earth in my book. If we were lucky, we would bring home a souvenir to remind us of our trip for the rest of our lives.

I whispered in Bella's ear that I loved her one more time before my eyes closed, letting sleep take over.

The remaining time we spent at the beach house was relaxing. We spent some time doing leisurely activities around the island but mainly stayed at the house. Lying in the hammock on the back deck ended up being our favorite spot. We enjoyed soaking up the sun, while being wrapped up in each other's arms, talking and planning our future.

Conversations about the girls and how much we missed them were brought up often. Every time they were mentioned, our hopes for more children in the future came up effortlessly. It was uncertain when a baby would become a part of our future, but there was no doubt there would be one. We both craved to see a new life in our house, a piece of ourselves blended together, created because of the love we shared. I could see it clearly, an energetic little boy with Bella's deep brown eyes and my crazy ass hair or a sweet little girl with chestnut ringlets and rosy cheeks, looking just like her momma. Boy or girl, they would captivate my heart like their sisters already had.

Packing the car and locking up the house was bittersweet, but we knew reality was waiting for us to return. While we looked forward to our wedding reception, house hunting, and a new school year for the girls, the uninterrupted time we had together was necessary. It rejuvenated me and gave me the push I needed to keep up with the busy life we had. The best part was that it wouldn't be the same as it was before the wedding, because we were not the same people. I wasn't just Edward Cullen, a doctor and father to Makenna. I added Bella's husband and MC's step-father to my titles, and I could never be happier than to have my added responsibilities. My family was my life; everything I did was for them. Our wedding didn't change that; it just increased my desire to give Bella, Makenna and MC the best future I possibly could.

"I wish we could stay longer," Bella whined, as she looked in the rearview mirror at the house while I drove away.

"I know, but don't worry; we'll be back. Maybe we can make it a tradition to come here for our anniversary," I responded and rubbed her thigh lovingly.

"Maybe the plan could be to spend a week together somewhere, anywhere really, just the two of us. I know we have the girls and busy careers, but I want to always make time for us, Edward."

"I promise you we'll do just that, sweetheart."

Bella smiled at me sweetly and squeezed my hand as I sped along the freeway, headed towards Seattle and our new life together.

No matter how crazy life became for us, I knew finding time for one another would never be issue. We knew how it felt to have distance between us, in every meaning of the word, and there was no way in hell either one of us would go back to living life like that again. Our bond was _finally_ unbreakable, and getting married had solidified that.

**A/N: Just a little background on the way we co-write our chapters. We each write a POV and then we swap, tweak and pass them along to be fixed. Our final step before we're confident enough to post for you is reading the chapter out loud over the phone. As you can imagine, this particular chapter caused a lot of brushing, laughing, giggles and tears between us.**

**We hope you enjoyed it as much as we did.**

**PhotoBucket has been updated. We'll tweet a couple of the lemon picspirations which they won't allow us to post…I'm sure you understand why, right? Yeah, they're too porny. *cheesy smiles***

**A special thanks to**_**you-know-who**_**for doing**_**you-know-what**_**… We flove you!**

**Also, we found out earlier this week the Chapter 19 BJ was nominated in The Tomato Soup Awards for the Cucumber Award. We fainted... Thanks to the person who thought that scene was worthy enough to be nominated. We'll have the link for voting listed on next week's update.**

**Lastly, PFach and the gang were so freaking awesome! We have a new crush on Charlie Bewley and we're working Demetri into our next story outline...for real! We posted a bunch of pictures from our time together on our twitter account... JadedLadies2 Stop by and check them out!**

**Thanks for reading and if you have the time, please review and we'll send you a teaser of the next chapter.**


	25. Raise Your Glass

**Thank you to our beta LZTZ, and prereader tanglingshadows, for their help and support.**

**Disclaimer: We don't own Twilight, but it owns us.**

**Chapter 25 – Raise Your Glass**

_**Bella**_

Pink and sage green lanterns appeared to be floating above us, lighting the area where we stood holding hands. The chairs, covered in white fabric with a thick pink ribbon tied into a bow on the back, were accented with an orange Gerbera daisy resting in the knot. The tablecloths covering the round tables were the same shade of green as the lanterns, creating the light and carefree effect I had hoped for.

"You're beautiful tonight, Isabella," Edward said as his eyes ran down my body. "I don't know what takes my breath away more. Your dress or body." His words made me shiver with desire. I needed to be wrapped in his warm embrace, tangled together between our sheets… consumed by him.

I had picked out a white chiffon strapless dress with a sweetheart neckline which hugged tightly around me and flowed loosely from my hips to just above my knees. I must admit between the length of the dress and my shoes, my legs looked long and attractive. I knew I would drive Edward crazy tonight.

"I'd have to say it's your body that's rendering me breathless tonight," Edward whispered against my ear. He pulled me against him, and our lips met in a way which made the room around us disappear. There was only him. Only me.

The strappy, high-heeled sandals from Alice's collection were amazingly beautiful. Since she had been made aware of Edward's plans, she designed a unique pair of shoes just for me. I loved the crystals that ran along the top of my foot to the strap that buckled around my ankle.

For Edward, I picked out a nice pair of gray slacks and jacket, with a white button down shirt. He wanted to wear a tie, but I asked him not to. Instead, I wanted him to be comfortable and leave a few buttons opened. Looking at him now, it was clear I made the right decision as he looked gorgeous. Plus, we didn't have an overly stuffy wedding, so why would our reception be any different?

I loosened my hold on him as I remembered where we were. "Thanks, you look very handsome as well," I said against his lips. My hands slowly traveled down his arms, and I threaded our fingers together and turned us to face our guests.

The white tent with curved picture windows was buzzing with excitement as our guests, along with each member of our family and our dearest friends, hugged and congratulated us.

A small band played an acoustical version on Brown Eyed Girl while the kids and some adults danced to the beat.

"Thank you for coming," I whispered to Mrs. Garrett as I hugged her. She gave me a little squeeze and turned her attention to Edward, offering him the same congratulatory words, praising him for pulling off such an elaborate proposal and wedding ceremony, and giving him advice on how to keep his wife happy.

"She's tough on the outside but a marshmallow on the inside. If you remember to treat her mind with the same tenderness and care as the rest of her, you'll have a long and loving marriage. Being married is more about friendship, trust, loyalty and selflessness as it is passion, desire and love. Treat her well, Edward, as I've come to expect nothing less from you." After one last hug, Edward promised her to treat me like his queen, and she walked away as we greeted the next well wisher.

We continued on like that throughout the evening, strolling hand in hand or with our arms around the other's waist but always touching. Edward and I had returned from our honeymoon the weekend before and offered to help with the planning, preparations, and cost of our reception, but our offers fell on deaf ears. Our parents would not accept our pleas and, in fact, they seemed to thrive on creating the most perfect night of our lives without any help from us. Esme and my mom were a force to be reckoned with as they took charge of making schedules for the companies they hired for various tasks, confirmed details, and negotiated prices while still managing to host large family dinners all week while keeping smiles on their faces.

"You look very beautiful tonight, Mrs. Cullen," Edward whispered while following up his words with a kiss on my ear.

I looked up to my husband's face, seeing my happiness and joy reflected in his eyes, and couldn't resist leaning forward to softly hold his face between my hands as I brought his lips down to meet mine.

He drew his nose down my neck and kissed my bare collarbone then placed small kisses across the top of my shoulder. "God, you smell wonderful, too."

"Thank you," I said softly. We started to kiss again with every ounce of our love for one another flowing between us.

Edward began laughing against my lips, and I pulled back from him only to notice Carlisle standing behind him with a playful smile.

"Sorry to interrupt, but they've been trying to get your attention to begin serving dinner. You two should find your seats up at the front table. We can't start eating without the bride and groom," he said, chuckling to himself. He patted Edward on his shoulder and went to find his seat next to Esme.

"Come on, Mrs. Cullen, before I eat _you_ for my dinner." He grabbed my hand and led us to the table where our parents and daughters were waiting for us.

Makenna and MC were both wearing their beautiful dresses from the wedding. MC reached towards the three-tier platters in the center of the table. I hadn't taken the time to look at the centerpieces, but the bottom layer was filled with heart shaped cookies decorated as either a bride or groom. The middle layer looked to have chocolate covered strawberries, and then on the top there were fortune cookies and chocolate covered cherries, all of which were also designed to look as though they were wearing a bridal gown or a tuxedo. Small vivid orange, pink, yellow and white flowers were mixed within the layers providing a bright splash of color, which reminded me of my wedding bouquet. Just like my daughter, I went straight for a chocolate covered strawberry, moaning as I bit into it, because it was delicious. Edward couldn't resist eating a cookie, gladly sharing a few bites with me.

I heard the clanking of a spoon tapping a glass to get everyone's attention. I turned to the sound and saw Carlisle standing near the band.

"Good evening. We're glad you could make it this evening. Just in case you don't know who I am, let me introduce myself. I'm Carlisle Cullen, the proud father-in-law to the newest Cullen, Bella. We're so lucky to have her join our family, but Edward is the luckiest man in the room tonight; he gets to call her his wife."

Everyone laughed at his joke, and he continued to talk about the meaning of marriage, the wonders of becoming a larger family, and officially welcomed MC, as well.

"Please, raise your glass with me, and let's wish Edward and Bella a lifetime of happiness, blessings, and because my very own wife said I'll regret it if I don't add this to my speech, a house full of babies in the near future. To Bella and Edward!"

I laughed at Carlisle and blew Esme a kiss, letting her know I enjoyed her addition to his speech.

"To us," I said to Edward, and we linked our arms and sipped the champagne.

I took another second to admire the work put into making our reception the best it could be. Small light pink tealights dotted the tables, providing a warm glow around us. Our dinner was served, and we ate, drank, and laughed with our loved ones. The band played various cover songs during dinner, and we couldn't resist singing along to a few of them. MC sang the loudest, regardless of whether she knew the words or not. Edward had tears in his eyes as he laughed at her playfulness, and Emmett gave her a high five.

"Guess what, Bella?" Makenna asked from across the table holding her fork.

I smiled at her innocent question. She was beautiful and sweet just like her daddy.

"What's that, beautiful girl?" I responded, giving her my full attention.

"Grandma Mimi-" She was interrupted by my mom.

"Sweetheart, it's just Mimi, remember? I'm your Mimi just like I'm MC's," Makenna's new grandma reminded her with a playful poke to her belly. Makenna smiled up at her and nodded.

"Mimi," she started over, stressing my mom's nickname, "taught me to like green beans while you and daddy were on your honeymoon. Watch," she stabbed a green bean off her plate and stuck it in her mouth. Her smile while she chewed and swallowed it made me so proud of her.

"Kenni, that's… I'm so proud of you, baby girl. You tried something new, and you liked it! Get over here and give me a hug," I praised her excitedly.

She jumped from her seat and moved quickly towards me as I pushed my chair back from the table to sit her on my lap.

"Great job, Makenna," I whispered against her neck then kissed her cheek. "I love you, baby."

"I love you too, Bella," she said as she looked up at me with tears in her eyes.

"Hey now, none of that." I wiped her tears away. "We're having a happy day today."

"I'm happy, I promise. I'm just glad you married my daddy." She wrapped her arms around my neck, and I swayed her slowly back and forth. I loved this little girl so much.

I felt a kiss on the top of my head and turned to see Edward kissing the top of Makenna's head too.

"Well, I'm glad that all of us are happy and together," he said and looked over at MC, who was watching us intently. "Hey, Mary Claire," Edward called out.

MC smiled at having his attention, choosing to ignore the use of her full name. "What?" she replied.

"I love you!" Edward told her loudly, not caring how many people heard his declaration.

MC's smile grew bigger, showing off the empty space created from a tooth she lost earlier in the week. "I love you more, Edward!" she practically shouted.

"Impossible, sweetie, but I could really use one of your hugs right now, since your momma and sister are ignoring me. Get over here." He held his hand out to her and kept it there until she reached him. He closed his eyes and sighed in contentment as they held each other tightly.

Our moment with the girls continued until it was time to cut the cake. The cake our moms ordered was exquisite. It was three layers, each separated by a band of gold beading. In addition, a magenta ribbon surrounded the base of a raised silver platter, making it appear taller than it was. The top layer was decorated with live flowers, and as I looked closer, they were the same flowers from my bouquet and the centerpieces on the tables. Thin, long, green leaves floated from the top of the cake as if they were fireworks exploding in the sky.

With everyone huddled around us, blinding us with the lights flashing from their cameras, Edward's hand guided mine forward, and we sliced into the bottom layer, cutting a small piece. Edward fed me a bite of the sweet tasting cake and kissed me gently on the lips. I used my spoon to scoop some and raised it to his lips. Although we agreed not to make a mess feeding each other, I couldn't resist when it was my turn as he closed his eyes waiting for me to feed him, leaving himself vulnerable. I grabbed the cake with my other hand and smashed it against his mouth. He slowly opened his eyes and quirked an eyebrow at me as if to say, _game on_, and wiped the cake from his lips, only to smoosh it against mine. I giggled and licked it off, then kissed his lips to help him clean up.

I could hear the girls laughing at us as Emmett declared me the winner.

"That was _very_ wrong of you, Mrs. Cullen," he growled into our kiss.

"Sorry," I said without one ounce of remorse.

"Save your fake apologizes, dear. You will make it up to me later, got it?" He looked into my eyes with an intensity that made me wish it were later already.

"Got it," I said, _acknowledging_ my deception and _accepting_ my punishment.

We walked around, mingling while everyone ate their cake. It wasn't too much later that everyone was finished and we were called to the front for our first dance. I put my foot down on the song and refused to accept any suggestions.

When I was around my daughter's age, I remember being thirsty one night after I was tucked into bed. I left my room and walked downstairs to get something to drink when I heard the most beautiful song playing from the front room and went to check it out. My mom and dad were dancing together and didn't even notice me. I watched them while they kissed and even saw him sing some of the words to her. When the song ended, I walked to get my drink with a soft smile and climbed back into bed, wrapped up in the security that my parents loved each other.

Always remembering that moment, I pulled my mom aside earlier in the week and told her about my childhood memory and that I wanted to dance to it as a way of honoring my dad when he couldn't be there with me. She said it was one of the best nights of her life and my dad would be honored to watch me dance with my husband in his place.

_It would be the only song of the night the band wouldn't play as only the original recording would do._

Edward and I walked to the center of the dance floor as the first notes from _Can't Help Falling in Love_ played through the speakers. Edward pulled me close to him and wrapped his arms around me while mine made their way around his neck. I played with his hair, softly scratching his scalp and the skin along his neck.

Throughout our dance we kissed and sang along with Elvis, ignoring everyone gathered around us as we sang out of tune, just focusing on sharing our dance. Our bodies moved slowly in a circle, swaying and gliding as one.

_Like a river flows surely to the sea_

_Darling so it goes_

_Some things are meant to be_

_Take my hand, take my whole life too_

_For I can't help falling in love with you_

We kissed and sang and kissed some more. When Edward whispered the words "_I can't help falling in love with you_" into my ear, I felt tears roll down my face. Edward noticed and kissed them away, and when I looked into his eyes, he had tears gathering in his, too.

I laughed at our display of affection and then happily sighed. "We're just two pathetic saps in love, Cullen."

"That we are, Cullen." He laughed at me and we finished our dance.

Edward and I stayed out on the dance floor until my feet were so sore I had to take my shoes off and dance barefooted. I watched Edward dance with his mom, but the best dances of the night, except for ours, was when he danced with Makenna and MC. Of course, watching him sway with both girls, holding their hands, and twirling them in circles like ballerinas was priceless in my eyes. He shared a bond with each of them that was precious and rare. They had him wrapped around their pinky fingers, and he wouldn't want it any other way.

I sat off to the side, trying to take a quick break when MC found me.

"Hi Momma," she said with a flushed face from being so active.

I brushed her bangs out of her eyes and tucked them behind her ear. "Hey, girlie, what's up? You're not finished dancing already, are you?"

She shook her head no and looked down at her feet. I saw her take a deep breath and then just blurted out her thoughts. "I wish Edward could be my dad. My real daddy died and went to heaven, and now I want Edward to be my dad. Can you ask him for me?"

To say I was stunned would be an understatement. I didn't know what to say, and she just looked at me as if she had done something wrong. I had to snap out of my shock and be a mom to my daughter.

"Sweetie, I'm going to be honest with you. I don't know what the right answer is, so maybe this is something we should talk about more with him. He loves you so much. I have a feeling he will jump for joy, but I can't ask for you. I will, however, be there with you when you talk to him, okay?" She looked sad for a minute while I held her close to me. At one point I thought she fell asleep.

"Bella," Edward said looking between me and MC. "Is everything alright?"

He bent down until he was eye level with her. "Why do you look so sad? Did something happen, sweetheart?"

MC looked up at Edward and then back to me. I nodded my head for her to tell him how she felt.

She took a deep breath and stood up. "Edward, can I call you daddy like Makenna does? You called us sisters before, and I want to call you daddy. Please, Edward?"

Edward immediately sat down on the floor and pulled her into his lap. He looked to me for guidance, and like I did with MC, I nodded my head in encouragement.

"MC, I want you to know that I love you with all my heart. There's absolutely nothing in the world I would want more than for you to call me daddy. I'm completely honored you want to, and I promise I will be nothing but the best for you. Are you sure this is what you want?" He looked hopeful, but I already knew her answer.

"Yes, Edward, I mean, Daddy," she giggled at herself.

"Well, this truly is one of the best days of my entire life, then!" He kissed her head and then pulled me out of my chair and onto the floor with them and kissed me too. My only concern at that point was not flashing my underwear to those near us.

"Bella, did you fall down?" Makenna asked with a concerned tone.

"No I didn't. Your rotten father pulled me down. What should we do about it?" I laughed as her eyebrows scrunched together in thought.

"Baby girl, I was just talking with your sister about something really important, and I accidently bumped Bella from her chair. I told her I was sorry, but I don't think she believes me," he said using his most pathetically fake voice ever.

MC turned around to face Makenna shaking her head. "That's not true, Kenni. He pulled her down on purpose. He's lying to you." She crossed her arms over her chest. "I asked him if I could call him daddy since you're my sister now, and he said yes and then he pulled mom to the floor."

"Daddy, that's not very nice." Makenna corrected his behavior with a stern look on her face. _My little defender._

"Maybe we should make him write sentences when we get home. That's what mom would make him do," MC added sounding way too grown up for her age.

Edward busted out laughing then reached up to pull Makenna down with us.

"Daddy!" both girls shrieked, and Edward's smile grew larger.

"What?" He batted his eyelashes innocently. "I have my gorgeous wife and my two beautiful daughters sitting with me, and I can't think of any place in the world I'd rather be right now."

I couldn't agree with him more.

**~~ E & B ~~**

_**Edward**_

My head slammed back forcefully, hitting the hard tile of the shower wall. I should have been concerned about the impact to the back of my head, but with Bella's lips wrapped around my cock, I could care less.

"Mmm, yes… Bizz, that's it… keep going," I groaned breathlessly.

I had to keep my eyes closed in order to keep from watching Bella kneel before me. If I took one look at the sight of water cascading down Bella's flushed skin as she worked me over with her mouth, it would do me in a lot sooner than I wanted.

We had started having sex in the shower more often since we moved into Bella's house. The wall that separated our room from the girls' bedroom was thin, and we really didn't want to explain to them about the birds and the bees already. We had still found a way to have great sex where we didn't have to restrain ourselves so much during our lovemaking. However, every now and then, it was nice to get in the shower and let go while the water muffled our noises.

I couldn't resist peeking through one eye at her. Bella's eyes were wide open, gazing up at me through her eyelashes, just as I expected she would be. My wife knew giving me a sultry look always turned me on, and it fueled the fire of my impending orgasm. She moved her hands so one held the base of my cock while the other rolled my balls at an agonizingly slow and perfect pace.

My hips started to rock towards Bella's welcoming mouth. She let go of my cock with one hand and my balls with her other, so she could brace herself for my increased movements. Her hands reached around my waist and grabbed my ass to steady herself. She opened her mouth wider, meeting each of my thrusts with her bobbing head, eagerly taking me in deeper until I hit the back of her throat. I reached out to touch Bella's saturated hair, weaving my fingers in at the nape of her neck.

"Fuck… baby... you have to stop," I panted in between moans as my knees began to weaken.

I was wound up tight and at brink of letting go, but I didn't want to release in her mouth. I wanted to explode deep inside my wife's body, increasing our chances of making a baby. It had been about a month and a half since we began trying and, although I knew it was too early to get discouraged, I was honest enough to admit I was a little disappointed.

Bella's mouth popped off my cock, she pushed herself away from me, and I reached out to help her stand up.

As soon as she was fully upright, I spun Bella around and pushed her back against the wall. My mouth found hers, and we greedily sucked, licked, and nibbled at each other's lips, fighting to see who would dominate the kiss. It felt more erotic to me as the hot water which trickled down our faces and along our bodies made me hold her tighter, so she wouldn't fall down, essentially closing every gap that existed between us.

My hands roamed up and down Bella's warm skin, lingering when I found the wetness between her legs. Two of my fingers began to pump in and out of her, making sure she was indeed ready. I bent my knees, so I could take her perky nipple into my mouth, suckling it momentarily then nibbling it lightly, just how she liked it.

"Edward… that feels so good, but I can't wait any longer. Fuck me, please… just fuck me," she begged and writhed against the wall.

_What my wife wants, my wife gets. _

"My pleasure. Hold on tight, baby," I responded, ready to be done with the foreplay myself.

I moved my hand and brought her right leg up to my hip. My knees bent back down to angle myself properly, and with one thrust my cock was buried deep inside her.

"Yes!" Bella cried out as her back arched.

With our height differences and the small shower stall, the position was somewhat awkward and left me straining myself to keep our bodies connected.

I pulled her other leg up, and she wrapped herself around me, allowing me to straighten out my hips so I could go deeper inside her.

"I'm telling Ava tomorrow… we won't buy anything… that doesn't have… a large shower… that's big enough for… both of us." I groaned as my pace picked up with the thought about what I could do to her if we had more room.

The knots in my stomach were starting to tighten, warning me that my orgasm was close. I resisted as best I could to enjoy the building tension but wanting to take care of my wife first.

I reached in between our bodies and sought out Bella's swollen clit. My middle finger massaged it, making tight circles.

"I'm close," Bella whimpered, tightening her legs around my waist.

"And I want a… bench seat in there so… I can sit down… and you can ride… my fucking… cock."

She nodded but was unable to say anything but moan in response. Her eyes closed as she opened her mouth, allowing a long groan to escape. I could feel her walls clamp down, making me let go with her.

"Fuck…" was all I got out before my cock throbbed, allowing the built up tension to dissolve as I released.

After both of our bodies relaxed, I placed a soft kiss on Bella's swollen lips and pulled out of her.

We managed to clean ourselves off before the water turned cold, dried off, and headed to bed. We had a long day ahead of us the following day house hunting with our realtor, Ava, and I would need all the sleep I could get.

She was the wife of one of Bella's colleagues, and the week after the wedding, we contacted her to get the process started. In my opinion, the options she had shown us were fitting of what we said we needed and would allow us the room to grow our family. Bella, on the other hand, managed to find something wrong with each and every house, making it so we had very few options on the table over a month later. She either hated the layout of the kitchen, the backyard wasn't big enough, the dining room didn't have a window, or the bedrooms were on different levels. The reasons went on and on, then after the tenth house that I thought was perfect, I gave up and sat back to let Bella explore during the showing before I got attached. I wanted our house to be a place we both loved. Of course, we could remodel if we wanted but with the amount of money we planned to spend, I didn't want to do further work to meet our needs. I would continue to be patient with her and wait until Bella was happy.

Slipping into the cool sheets of our bed, we wrapped ourselves around one another, enjoying the perfect ending to our busy day. My eyes closed as my hands made soothing patterns on Bella's back. I was about to fall asleep when she suddenly sat up, peering down at me. Feeling her gaze on me, I opened my eyes and smiled.

"You okay, sweetheart? Did you want some milk before you go to sleep?" I asked figuring that was what she wanted since it was her new bedtime routine.

"No, it doesn't sound good tonight." Bella paused, taking her lip into the corner of her mouth momentarily then releasing it to continue. "Are you really going to tell Ava that our new requirement is a big shower with a bench seat?" she asked.

I laughed at her question and wondered why it seemed to bother her.

"Well, I wouldn't mind one in our bathroom, so we could have some more room… to spread out in the shower." I snickered before I added, "But it wouldn't be a deal breaker for me if we found a house that didn't have one."

I could see Bella's body straighten up quickly, even with the limited light in our room.

"I'm sorry if I have high expectations for a house that I plan to live in until the day I die," she huffed, taking offense at my choice of words.

I sat up so I could see her face more clearly.

"Whoa... calm down, baby. Why are you getting upset about this? I was just kidding about the shower stuff, and you know I want a nice house for our family just as much as you do. We'll find it… you just have to have faith." I rubbed my hands down her arms trying to calm her down.

Her body fell back onto the pillows, and I mimicked her actions then pulled her to me again.

"I'm just so frustrated with house hunting. I don't understand why we haven't found one that doesn't have something wrong with it. Like that last house, what contractor would position the pool that way?" She asked with all seriousness while I was thankful the darkened room masked my smile at her craziness. The pool was positioned accordingly to the layout of the lot.

"Umm... I don't know, but I'm sure there was a reason," I responded lamely.

"I'm sorry, Edward. I just feel so pressured by this purchase. It seems like every day I have a headache, and it's making me irritable."

"I told you, sweetheart, it sounds like you're having tension headaches, and you need to make yourself relax more. I know that between working, stressing out over our house search, and keeping up with the girls' crazy schedule, you're pushing yourself too much. Why don't we take a break from house hunting tomorrow and go do something relaxing?"

"I think that's a good idea actually," she stated with relief in her voice.

"I'll call Ava first thing in the morning and reschedule, then we'll get you out of the house and somewhere worry free, Mrs. Cullen."

She nodded her head in agreement and snuggled closer.

"Thanks, babe." She paused to let out a loud yawn. "I'm so exhausted I can't keep my eyes open any longer. Love you."

I returned the sentiment and closed my eyes thinking of ways to take my wife's worries away.

Getting away was the best medicine that could have been prescribed for Bella. The girls had no interest in our plans and asked to go hang out with Alice while Bella and I took a leisurely drive down to Olympia. I had no idea what to do but we ended up walking hand in hand, window-shopping down Main Street, grabbing lunch, then making our way back home. She didn't complain about headaches nor was she stressed like she had been. I decided I was going to get more active in the search by asking Ava to double check each listing before showing it to us to insure it didn't have any of the things Bella disliked at the previous properties. I knew the sooner we found what we wanted and got settled in, the happier our family would be, and that was all I wanted.

Sunday afternoon was spent with my parents and Dr. and Mrs. Morales. With their generosity of loaning us their yacht, Bella and I both wanted to have them over as a thank you. We felt blessed to have had the opportunity to have our wedding there, and as a thank you, we would be presenting them with a donation to the foundation Dr. Morales was heavily involved in.

While lunch finished baking, Bella showed Mrs. Morales and my mom the wedding album we had received from the photographer. She had done an amazing job capturing our wedding day. Both Bella and I agreed our favorite shots were the candid ones that neither of us knew were being taken. We planned to have one of the four of us dancing together enlarged, along with one of us kissing at the end of the ceremony. The family picture showed off the relaxed atmosphere that surrounded us perfectly as we all wore bright smiles and twirled one another around.

After Bella and I took our places at the dining room table, the subject of our house hunting was mentioned just as the platters made their way around the table.

"Esme mentioned you're searching in the Kirkland area. That suburb's beautiful and has excellent schools for your daughters," Mrs. Morales said.

I placed some salad on my plate while I responded. "Yes that's where we're hoping to purchase, but unfortunately nothing has come available that fits all of our needs yet."

"Have you considered building? You'd get exactly what you want that way," Dr. Morales added, engaged in the conversation.

"We've actually talked about that and did some research but we would like to be settled into a new home as soon as possible. Building one wouldn't allow us to do that," Bella answered before I could.

The pros and cons of taking on a new construction verses buying an existing house was the topic of choice throughout lunch making us feel comfortable while we got to know our guests better.

After dessert and coffee were served, Bella and I addressed the reason we had invited the Morales over. With her hand in mine, I spoke up and thanked them for their generosity.

"We want to thank you again for lending us _El Comienzo_ for our wedding. Your staff was exceptional and made sure everything was taken care of. We want to give an endowment to your foundation, donated in the Morales family name for your generosity towards us."

I grabbed the envelope I had set to the side and handed it to the stunned Dr. Morales. He took the envelope from me while Mrs. Morales looked on, beaming from my statement. I caught my parents' eyes and saw the pride they had for what we had decided to do; it was a surprise for them as well.

"Edward and Bella, this is unexpected, but we thank you for thoughtfulness. The foundation needs all the help it can get these days with an estimated two hundred new cases of Multiple Sclerosis being diagnosed each week nationwide. Your contribution is bound to help many in need." He stood up and shook my hand then turned to give Bella a hug.

Dr. Morales never looked inside the envelope in our presence but when he did, he would find out that we had donated what we thought the cost to maintain the yacht for two days. It was a large donation, and we felt good knowing it was going to a very worthy cause.

As the week passed by, Bella's moods got worse. I found it was hard to draw the line between husband and doctor. She had asked me to make sure I kept the two titles separated unless I thought something was seriously wrong with her, and even though I didn't think we were at that point, I was concerned for the amount of pressure Bella was under.

Saturday was spent driving from house to house, checking off the last available houses in our desired neighborhood. The last one on the list was a house that went on the market the day before. Walking through the front door I could tell that it would sell quickly and based off what I saw from the listing sheet, I had hoped it would be us snatching it up.

It was a seaside inspired custom home, with majestic views of Mt. Rainier. The kitchen left nothing to be desired, from the professional grade appliances to the black granite counter tops. It had five bedrooms with the master on the second floor, making Bella very happy. Our master bathroom was more than I would have thought to ask for. On top of having the bench seat like I'd teased about, the shower itself looked to be state of the art with a multiple body sprays and a rainfall shower head, which would feel amazing after a long day at work. The separate Jacuzzi tub would be great to relax in with my wife when we needed an escape. The additional bedrooms were large enough to hold MC and Makenna's belongings, as well as the Jack and Jill bathroom between them. Decent sized fourth and fifth bedrooms, including another full bathroom finished off the second floor making it the perfect layout for us.

As our tour continued, we found our way through French doors that led to a big backyard. Upon first sight I began placing furniture around the fire pit and lounge chairs near the pool. The built-in barbeque would be where Emmett, Jasper and I cooked for our families while the girls entertained the kids in the pool, and at night we could sit around the fire and enjoy ourselves. I could even visualize a dog running around. The house was perfect for us.

So lost in thought, I barely noticed that Bella had stopped walking and asking Ava questions.

"I think I'm going to be sick." Bella chocked out as her hand went to cover her mouth. She turned on her toes and ran into the house before my mind could catch up.

"Well, I guess we can check this one off the list," Ava stated with disappointment while opening up the portfolio she was holding and started to make notes.

Unsure how to respond, because I was hoping that wasn't the case at all, I started to walk towards the open doors, wanting to check on Bella.

"By the way, how far along is she?" Ava asked, causing me to stop dead in my tracks.

_How far along…? Holy shit!_

**A/N: *giggles* Is she or isn't she? Do you really think Dr. SexyScrubs is **_**that**_** good? **_(BTW, thanks to inkedupmom for the nickname!)_** Is Horny B that fertile? Guess you'll have to wait until next Saturday to find out. However, we're not above bribery or sucking up in your review. **_**JS JS JS**_

**We were nominated for the Chapter 15 BJ… if you remember, that's the night Bella wanked Edward on the balcony and had to apologize to the head in his pants, not on his shoulders. ;) If you'd like to check out the other nominees, or to vote for us, the link is posted on our profile. A big **_**THANK YOU**_** to whoever nominated us. You couldn't have chosen anyone more grateful than us.**

**Some of you have asked how many chapters are left… Chapter 30 will be the epilogue. It's taking us 25 chapters to get them through 10 months of time so far, and the remainder of the story will have a few smaller time jumps to get them to an even better place in their lives.**

**Thank you, mystery shopper! *blows kisses* You know why!**

**As always, thanks for reading and if you have the time, please review and we'll send you a teaser for the next chapter. **_**Your reviews touch our hearts and make us enjoy writing this story more and more every day. **_


	26. Unforgettable

**Thank you to our beta LZTZ, and prereader tanglingshadows, for their help and support.**

**Disclaimer: We don't own Twilight, but it owns us.**

**Chapter 26 – Unforgettable**

_**Bella**_

We had hoped we would have found out by now if our offer on the new house was accepted by the sellers, but that wasn't the case. It had been well over a week, and even though we offered a little below the seller's asking price, we somehow knew they would agree to our terms. We said we'd cover the closing costs, the fees, and inspection. Fate had been on our side since before we ran into each other on New Year's Eve, so I didn't have a doubt in my mind the house would be ours.

Who would have thought the day Edward and I found the house we wanted to raise our family in would also be the day we learned we would have another child to love? I thought back to that unforgettable day with a huge smile on my face.

The tour of the house had taken my breath away. The minute we got out of the SUV I felt an instant connection. It didn't feel like I was researching a potential house; I knew we were walking through our home the moment our feet crossed over the threshold. I instantly pictured Makenna sitting in the room off the entryway quietly reading a book. As I strolled through the house in an almost dreamlike state and saw the backyard through the French doors, I could visualize MC out back kicking her soccer ball. When I took a closer look at the pool area, I could almost hear Edward laughing at our girls as they splashed him while he grilled our dinner on the built-in barbeque.

It was as if the house was waiting for us to make our lives inside its walls, underneath its roof, and on the strong foundation it was built upon.

Our family would have a solid start in which to grow and love one another for a lifetime.

While walking upstairs, I had taken time to look around at the number of doors I saw. I knew it was a five bedroom house, but I didn't realize how big it really would be. As I opened each door, the room before me seemed to decorate itself in my thoughts. MC's room… Makenna's room. The room next to ours would be a perfect nursery.

The last room I entered was the Master bedroom. It was perfect for us. It was huge and beautiful; I saw my life with Edward in every nook and cranny. The attached bathroom more than met our expectations. The shower was large enough for both of us, and I giggled as I remembered his demand back in our small shower at home, _"We won't buy anything… that doesn't have… a large shower… that's big enough for… both of us."_

The shower would certainly meet _that_ demand!

I was more than excited to find Edward and tell him we'd found our house and to have Ava put in an offer for us right away. I ran downstairs to find her sitting near the doors that led outside and stopped to ask a few questions.

"Hi! Do you remember how much they're asking for this place again?" I asked her quickly.

Ava looked up at me with a concerned face. "It's a lot, but if you guys are really interested I'm sure we can talk to their agent. We can work on bringing their price down," she said in a frustrated tone. "Or if there are things you don't like, I'm sure your husband can remodel for you after he's purchased it. We just don't want to wait too long before we express our interest."

Did she just insinuate we couldn't afford the asking price? Did Ava believe me incapable of making a decision with my husband about costs, remodeling or anything else? Did she forget that I worked with her husband, so she needed to play nice? I had to take a deep breath to calm myself down before I said something that could delay or even destroy our chances of buying it. The house would be sold to someone else if we had to find a new realtor.

_Breathe, Bella, breathe._

My stomach was already upset from running down the stairs so fast, and I needed some fresh air before I would regret speaking the words I was desperately holding in. I opened the doors and walked out with Ava following behind. I saw Edward looking at me with a concerned face standing near the pool area.

"Edward!" I called for him.

He turned around to look at me, and it seemed as if he was already bracing himself to be disappointment. I knew he had been frustrated with how many houses we'd viewed that I'd turned down. It was written all over his face in the past weeks, and even though he tried to tell me otherwise, I knew my husband well enough to see past his words. There had been several houses I found flaws with that he really liked, and I'd felt a lot of guilt for delaying our move. This one was different from the others; I saw our future together and just knew we were meant to buy it.

I also knew I was about to throw up.

"I think I'm going to be sick," I said as I ran to the nearest bathroom and heard Ava say something about crossing the house off our list.

_No, I want__ it to be our home!_

As soon as that thought entered my mind, I was getting violently sick in the toilet. Thank God I had put my hair in a ponytail after my shower, or otherwise I'm sure it would be a mess.

I felt cool hands on my neck and heard Edward whispering his concerns in my ear.

"Sweetheart, are you okay?" His breath made my skin tingle. "It's alright. I'm here. You're fine, baby, I promise. Why don't we get you cleaned up and back home so you can rest? Shh, you're okay."

"Ugh, I'm not okay. I just threw up, and I don't feel very good. Can you get me some water?" I asked, embarrassed by my lack of control.

"Sure thing. Don't move and I'll be right back!" Then he was gone.

I stood up and flushed the toilet, looked at myself in the mirror, and groaned. My usually pale face had red blotchy spots covering it and dark circles under my eyes. I honestly looked like hell. I searched under the cabinet and found a washcloth, rinsing it with cold water and washed my face. The toothpaste sitting in the corner of the vanity caught my eye and I reached over to squirt some on my finger to freshen my breath. The taste of it made me gag a little, but I managed to hold myself together.

"Here you go, sweetie, but take little sips so you don't upset your stomach again. We're in no rush to get out of here, but I told Ava that I'd call her once you feel better," he said quietly while he used the washcloth to wipe the back of my neck. I could feel myself relaxing under his care.

"There will be other houses we can look at. Don't feel bad. We'll keep looking until we find one."

"No Edward-"

My protests were cut off by his lips.

"It's okay, Bella, and I understand. Don't worry, I promise we'll find something s-"

I cut him off, "I love this house! Please, believe me when I say I want us to live here. Can we talk to Ava before we leave? Wait! Oh my God, Edward, do you even like it? Please tell me you do. _Please_." I was desperate for him to agree with me but wouldn't force him to live there if he didn't like it as much as me. I was not the deciding factor. We were a team and made decisions together. I needed to remind my pregnant brain of that sometimes.

My mood swings were enough to drive me crazy. Hopeful. Excited. Pissed. And back to feeling excited again. I had no clue how Edward could keep up with my emotional rollercoaster, but thank God he loved me and was the most patient man I knew.

"Seriously? Bella, you love the house? I don't… I'm so… Yes, I love this house, woman! We need to find her and talk about putting in an offer. But are you sure? I don't want you to agree if you're not."

I was elated and jumped into his arms and wrapped my legs tightly around his waist. Moving my hands into his hair, I pulled his lips to mine and kissed him with every ounce of love I had.

"I'm sure, Edward!" I yelled so loud I was sure the neighbors, hopefully our_ new_ neighbors, heard me.

"I saw our future together in every room I walked into. I know which room is Makenna's and the one MC will pick. There's a room near the front door that will be a perfect reading hideout for Makenna, and we both know MC will love the backyard. But the best part is the huge ass shower in the master bathroom!" I dropped my voice down, "I do believe it meets all your requirements, Dr. Cullen," I said, using my best sexy voice; the one I knew caused him to give into my all of my demands.

"Is that so, Mrs. Cullen?" he said against my lips.

I only grinned in agreement. He knew what my smile meant for him. Suddenly, I had a very different type of ache in my stomach.

"It's large enough for both of us?" he questioned with a husky, lustful voice.

Again, I nodded, and kissed his chin.

He used his nose to turn my face away from him and kissed along my jaw line. He reached my ear and bit it, then whispered, "Is there a bench in there, so I can sit down and let my wife ride me?"

I shivered and whispered slowly with desire, "Yes." I wanted to drag him to the shower and try it out.

"Alright then, what are we doing in here wasting time?" His change in tone made me jump. "Let's find Ava and buy ourselves a fucking house!" Edward laughed because he thought he was funny and pulled me along behind him.

_Such a tease. _

We walked hand in hand until we found Ava and told her our decision. I may have looked a little smug with my arms wrapped around my husband who was indeed buying us a house. _Ha!_

I laughed at the memory of our excitement. Edward couldn't stop smiling as he signed the offer letter, not that I was any different when it was my turn.

The past few days we had been a combined ball of nervous energy as we waited for the seller's decision. I would be crushed if we didn't get it. Not only did we feel drawn to the house, we had another reason to move.

A baby was on its way.

The day we made an offer on the house was also the day we learned we were expecting an addition to our happy family, thanks to my husband's insistence on going to a store during our return drive home.

"Bizz, I need to stop at the store. Do you want to sit in the car or go in with me?" Edward asked nervously, though I wasn't sure why.

I went from looking out my window as I watched the houses zoom by, to staring at my husband, trying to gauge his sudden change.

"What's wrong, Edward?" I asked in a soft voice. "I can't think of anything we need right now. We just went grocery shopping yesterday. Did I forget something you wanted? The girls made sure everything was crossed off on the list." I wracked my tired brain to come up with what I'd forgotten.

"Nothing's wrong, Bella. It's just… uh, can I ask you something before I answer your questions?" He turned down the radio, and for some reason it made me nervous. I had no clue why he would go from being excited to apprehensive to talk to me.

I reached over to hold his hand and rubbed my thumb over his knuckles. I heard him take in a deep breath as he squeezed my hand. I nodded my head yes to answer his question.

"Bella, it's nothing bad, I promise," he said with a small smile gracing his lips. My emotional rollercoaster took another dip.

"You can ask me anything, Cullen. What's up?" I teased trying to change the heavy mood that had settled around us.

"When was your… I mean… shit! I'm a doctor and I'm fucking this up already." He groaned and made me laugh at him.

"You're crazy, _Doctor_ Cullen," I said, stressing the word. "When was my last what?"

Edward took another deep breath and blurted it out. "When was your last period, Bella?" He turned to look at me when I gasped.

Could it be possible? Could I have gotten pregnant that quickly? It only took once, I laughed to myself.

I used my fingers to count back the days. Once. Twice. Again.

Edward's voice startled me. "Bella, are you okay?" He said worriedly.

"Yes," I answered quietly. "Just give me another minute, please?"

He nodded as he let me work it out for myself.

Counting again.

"How many days has it been since the wedding?" I questioned.

"Bella, it's been long enough. I think you know what I'm getting at. We need to stop at the store. Now." He was in doctor mode and since it was atypical for our conversations throughout the day, I nodded my head again in agreement.

Edward ran into the Walgreen's near our house and came back out shaking the bag in the air in victory like Rocky Balboa did after every prizefight. He had to be the silliest man on the planet to be excited about purchasing a pregnancy test.

I was greeted with a passionate kiss as soon as he slid into the driver's seat. He broke our connection and started the car, chuckling to himself.

"What?" I asked, laughing at him.

"I can feel it, and I know I'm right. My baby is in your belly, Mrs. Cullen. I don't need this test to tell me that." His excitement was utterly contagious and just when I thought I couldn't love him anymore, he had to be all cute and confident. I hoped he was right. We wanted a baby so badly but tried not to put any pressure on ourselves.

We arrived home and ran to the bathroom together. He stayed in the room with me as we watched the alarm on his phone. When enough time had passed, and we finally heard the beeping, Edward hopped up and reached for the test.

"Congratulations, Momma!" He picked me up and carried me bridal style to our bedroom. We celebrated until it was time to go pick up the big sisters.

The sound of Edward's voice brought me back to the present time, as I stood in our bathroom applying my strawberry lip-gloss.

"Are you about ready, baby?" he chuckled.

"My name is Bella," I sassed back.

"Well, _Bella_, I wasn't talking to you. I was talking to _my _baby." He rubbed his thumb over my stomach, and I rolled my eyes at his playfulness. I honestly didn't think he had stopped smiling since he read the test.

"Oh sure, once I have _your _baby you'll forget all about me. I see how you are," I said as I pretended to be sad.

Edward threw his head back and laughed. "That's just not true. I want another baby after this one, so I'll have to keep you around for a little bit longer." He pulled my hips towards him, bringing my body closer.

"So, I'm just a baby maker for you," I said against his lips. I loved my husband.

"Nope, no way. You're my _sexy _baby maker," he growled. "My baby momma." Edward kissed me, and his eyes gleamed with mischief. There was no way for me to rebut that, as he kissed me until I was breathless and all my thoughts flew out the window.

It wasn't too much later when we pulled up to the valet and walked into the restaurant where we were meeting Alice and Jasper. We had already dropped MC and Makenna off at their Nana and Grandpa's house for a sleepover. Esme had all the supplies ready to make apple turnovers for dessert. Needless to say, the girls were excited to spend the evening with their grandparents.

Edward checked in with the hostess to see if they'd already been seated and, since they had, we were ushered back to where our friends sat waiting for us.

"Hey Allie." I greeted her with a hug, while I saw Jasper and Edward shake hands.

"Bella, how are you?" Jasper asked, smiling down at me with his blue eyes shining. "You look very pretty tonight."

"Don't insult her by calling her pretty, Jasper. My wife is beautiful," Edward responded and pulled me into his side, kissing my head. Alice and I laughed at his display.

I did feel beautiful actually. Since finding out I was pregnant, I had been feeling radiant and happier than ever… when I wasn't vomiting. The blue wrap dress I wore showed off my ample cleavage, and Edward couldn't keep his hands off them. _My husband had turned into a boob man! _Too bad there had been days I wanted to cry before he even got his hands on me.

"Jasper, why can't you say things like that to me anymore? What, I give you two sons, and you forget to tell me I'm beautiful?" She was teasing him, but I didn't think he caught on.

"Allie, of course I think you're beautiful. No offense to Bella here, but I happen to think you're the most gorgeous woman in the restaurant," Jasper said as he brought her lips to his.

"Oh wow, that's a great come back, Jazz, but it's alright, I'll forgive you this time." Alice kissed him again, and we chatted about the beginning of the school year while we all looked over our menus.

Alice, Jasper and Edward placed their orders and then it was my turn.

"I'll have the filet, medium well, a baked potato with extra sour cream and butter. I want to start off with a Caesar side salad too, please." I glanced down at the menu, "Oh no, wait. I'll take the BBQ chicken breast, French fries and a side salad with ranch." The waitress turned to walk away as I caught sight of a man at the table closest to us cutting his dinner and my mouth watered.

"Wait, miss! I'm _so_ sorry, but I think I'd rather go with the steak, but the chicken does look good too," I said in a confused and whiny tone.

Edward laughed and opened his menu.

"Miss, I think my wife will have the steak and chicken combo, add BBQ sauce please, a baked potato with butter-"

"And extra sour cream," I quickly added.

He smiled and continued patiently, "Do you want ranch dressing or a Caesar salad, sweetheart?" Edward's green eyes sparkled with his love for me.

"Caesar… yummy." I licked my lips in anticipation. "Can I get a side of ranch, too, please?"

"You get all that?" he asked the waitress with a small chuckle. She nodded her head then turned to go to place our order.

I looked up into Jasper's shocked expression and noticed Alice's sly smile.

"What?" I asked. Edward reached over and wrapped his arm around me.

"Bella Cullen, what was all that about?" Alice asked with her all-knowing eyes.

I looked up at Edward seeking his help. We didn't want anyone to know until we had it officially confirmed by my OB/GYN.

"Bella's pregnant!" he said loudly enough that it caused a few other diners to turn in our direction.

"You're kidding? I must say, Edward, you didn't waste any time, did you?" Alice said, moving around the table to hug him. "I'm so happy for you guys."

Turning her attention to me, she said, "Congratulations, Bella. Do we get to take a pregnancy test together for old time's sake?"

I glanced over at Edward and noticed his confusion. Alice returned to her seat and filled him in on the time Alice made me take two additional tests to confirm my pregnancy with MC. He thought we were nuts but said we'd stop on the way home and buy another one.

The four of us talked about Ben and Liam and Makenna and MC for the majority of the night. I also gave them details about the house we hoped to buy and showed them some pictures we'd taken during a second visit.

Edward made my best friend the happiest woman in the world when he suggested we should hang out in the bathroom alone. As with my previous pregnancy, we purchased two tests and when we saw the word _pregnant_ appear on the first pregnancy test Alice giggled with excitement. We sat on the counter together as we waited for the second test.

"You know, I'm so happy that all your dreams are coming true, Bella. This is all I've ever wanted for you and no less than you deserve," Alice said sincerely.

"I can't tell you how excited we were when we found out. We decided on our honeymoon that we really wanted another baby. I can't believe it happened so quickly, but I wouldn't change anything for the world," I stated.

"Do you know when you're due?" she questioned.

"No, not yet. I had to find another doctor and haven't had my first appointment yet, but it's coming up soon. I'll call you when we know for sure. Oh, and we didn't tell the girls yet, either. We wanted to wait until after our first visit, so we had some answers to the questions we know they'll ask." I reached for the test and handed it to Alice.

She held it up and we both smiled.

_A happy face._

**~~ E & B ~~**

_**Edward**_

"Isabella Cullen," the nurse called out, looking around as she stood in the doorway.

I squeezed Bella's hand as we stood up, not wanting to waste another minute. Even though she was the patient, I'd had a hard time sitting still. The wait was killing me.

It was the day we had been waiting to arrive for the past couple of weeks. Ever since we saw the first faint double pink line, I could not wait to get confirmation that Bella was indeed pregnant. I respected the fact that I was her husband and not her doctor, but I couldn't help but to entertain the idea of ordering tests and an ultrasound myself. She, of course, put me in my place and told me to take care of my own patients; Bella would set up an appointment with Dr. Allan, the obstetrician Alice saw when she had the boys.

We followed the nurse back to an exam room where she got to work asking Bella basic questions then requested a urine sample. While she was using the restroom, I took an opportunity to look around the room at all the pictures of the newborn babies Dr. Allan had delivered.

As I looked them over, my mind wondered to the baby growing in my wife's body. We created a human being, and before long, we would be looking upon our child with the same love and awe the parents in these pictures had on their faces.

Bella returned shortly, undressed, and put on a thin paper gown before taking a seat on the exam table. I could see her demeanor had changed in the minutes she was gone, a worried look marred her gorgeous face. She was fidgeting and twirling her wedding ring around her finger as she glanced around the room.

I walked over and stood in front of her, taking her hands into mine.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?" I asked calmly.

She let out a breath and looked up at me. I could see tears starting to form, causing me to be concerned.

"You're going to think it's stupid," she grumbled and looked back down.

I released her hands and pushed her chin up, so she would look at me again.

"Bizzy, I would never think _anything _you're feeling is stupid. Especially not now, when I'm sure whatever's bothering you is related to our pregnancy," I said softly then bent down to place an encouraging kiss on her lips.

"What if the tests were wrong, and I'm not really pregnant, Edward? I will be devastated. I want this baby _so_ much."

I brushed a piece of her hair back, letting my fingers linger on her cheek. Her eyes looked deep into mine, searching for anything that would reassure her.

As another assurance, I could've explained that a false positive was rare and that she had every textbook symptom for an early pregnancy, but I didn't. Without having any results from the tests yet or from an ultrasound, I couldn't give her that one-hundred percent perfect confirmation she was desperate for. I knew she wouldn't see it as her hormones taking over, causing her to worry at that point.

Being that I was her husband first and foremost, I knew I needed to approach topics during her pregnancy with caution and allow her doctor to be the one to treat her as a patient.

"Sweetheart, it's normal to be concerned, but I really don't believe you've got any reason to be. I can feel it; our baby is in there growing bigger by the day, just waiting to be in your arms." I kissed her nose. "Dr. Allan will confirm it for us and will ease any other concerns you may be having. Plus, I'm pretty sure you wouldn't get three false positives." I grinned at her, thinking back to the other two tests she took with Alice to repeat their tradition.

The minutes ticked on as we were waiting, putting me on edge. I made a mental note to try harder to prevent my own patients from waiting for me this long. Not too much later a knock on the door alerted us that it was time.

"Welcome, Isabella and Edward. It's a pleasure to meet you both. I'm Dr. Allan," she greeted us looking down at the chart in her hands before looking back up towards Bella. "I see we'll be welcoming a little one here next year." As she gave Bella a reassuring smile, I saw Bella sit up straighter and return her smile ten-fold before glancing over to me. Relief was radiating from her beautiful face, putting me at ease.

I had been right. Another baby was on the way.

Dr. Allan went over the urine analysis results, stating everything looked great and my wife was indeed pregnant. I was pleased with the questions she asked us and her responses to the concerns Bella brought up. I felt comfortable with her delivering our child.

The physical exam was finished quickly, and the doctor stepped out of the room to get the ultrasound machine. We couldn't help but stare at one another with excitement dancing in our eyes.

"We're really having a baby," Bella whispered and squeezed my hand.

"Yes, we are," I responded, too awe struck over the truth of that statement to articulate any further.

She returned with her nurse and before long, the ultrasound machine was showing our child on the screen. We laughed about how the baby resembled a turtle in its current state of growth. The baby's heartbeat filled the room and caused Bella's eyes to once again be filled with tears. I counted the beats and knew before we were told that our child's heartbeat was nice and strong. It was one of the most beautiful sounds I'd ever heard, and I knew I'd never forget this moment.

"Okay, Bella, according to the calculations from your last menstrual cycle and the measurements I've taken today, your baby's due date is June twelfth. That puts you at eight weeks and six days." Dr. Allan stated warmly while pushing away from the machine. "I'm printing out its very first picture for you to take home and show off. We'll see you back here at the twelve-week mark for a routine check up. If either of you have questions before then, please call me."

She continued to give instructions to Bella and a prescription for prenatal vitamins, while I did my own mental due date calculation in my head. Eight weeks and six days put us around the time of our wedding reception. I smiled and shook my head to myself, blown away that we really had gotten what we wanted so quickly. We were extremely blessed.

Bella noticed my expression, and as soon as the doctor left the room she asked me about it. I explained to her that the medical side of my brain knew there was no rhyme or reason to how long it took a couple to conceive. Despite all the medical explanations, it came down to luck that everything combined correctly and that we were blessed everything happened so promptly for us.

The ride home was spent talking about the need to get the new house in order as quickly as possible, so we could settle in before Christmas. I already vowed that since the move was scheduled for following weekend, everything would be taken care of with the least amount of help from Bella.

In the time that had passed since we received the news that the sellers had accepted our offer, we had spent most of our weekends furniture shopping. Bella and I had come to the conclusion that we wanted a fresh start and were only keeping a couple pieces of furniture from our respective houses.

The girls went a little crazy designing their own rooms. Bella and I wanted to make the transition as easy and exciting for them as it could be. We allowed them to choose their paint color they each wanted for their respective rooms.

Bella was under the impression the painters would be done before our move in date, but we had a setback. What she didn't know was as soon as we unloaded the moving truck with the belongings we were keeping, everything else would already be done. I wanted to surprise her by having as much done as I could, especially our bedroom, for when we walked into the house the first time. It would take a while to get settled in and get our boxes unpacked, but I wanted her to have a comfortable place to retreat to when she needed a break.

The ideas we shared on the way home about how we could tell the girls about the baby didn't pan out. Everything seemed to be too extravagant and not really our style, so we decided to just sit the girls down after dinner. The thought of us telling them in that manner felt like we were setting a precedent for discussing important topics openly as a family. I knew it would benefit us to have an open line of communication as the girls approached their teenage years.

Dinner was spent as it normally was, listening to the girls talk about their day and the busy weekend ahead with moving. As each of our plates became cleaner, my excitement built.

Bella cleared our plates before long and returned to the table quickly. She sat down next to me, which caused the girls to look at both of us in confusion as to why we were lingering there. I looked across the table and was at a loss for words. Why was I so nervous? There was no reason to be, because I knew they would be ecstatic that they would have a little brother or sister to love.

I felt Bella take my hand in hers then gave it a squeeze. Her touch had always calmed me down, but at that moment it didn't. I had no reason to worry, but I did.

"Girls, your daddy wanted to be the one to tell you this, but it looks like he's too nervous to say it; so, I guess I'll do it. I know you're both very excited about moving into a new house of our own and becoming a family like we have been talking about." Bella smiled as she looked back up at me and then graced me with a small, encouraging kiss.

It was exactly what I needed. The tension I felt in my body was instantly let go, and I was able to focus on Makenna and MC's eyes as they stared back at me with curiosity.

"Being a family that loves each other is the most important thing to us. You both know we love each of you very much, right?" Bella asked with a smile on her face. She was doing a great job of building up the moment and stalling at the same time.

They nodded their heads in agreement, and MC looked at me with the most loving expression; it empowered me into action. I squeezed Bella's hand and let it go, moving around the table and pulling my daughters into my lap.

"So..." I cleared my throat and continued. "What would you girls say if I told you there was a baby growing in your Momma's tummy right now?"

I looked back and forth into their eyes, trying to foresee how they'd react. It didn't take long before their squeals filled the air, and they were off my lap jumping up and down.

"I'm not going to be the youngest anymore!" MC shouted while doing fist pumps into the air.

We all laughed at her outburst, and Bella walked around to join the three us.

"Bella, can I touch our baby?" Makenna asked quietly.

My wife lifted her shirt and told Makenna there wasn't much to see yet, but she didn't care. Our daughter touched the spot Bella pointed out, leaned forward, and placed a kiss on her stomach.

"I love you, baby sister," she whispered, but it was loud enough for each of us to hear, especially MC.

"Nuh uh, it's a boy. We're having a baby brother; I just know it," MC declared with her hands on her hips.

Makenna straightened up, mimicked her stance and added a glare.

"Bella is having a girl, _not_ a boy."

Before things got any farther out of hand on, we explained we wouldn't know what the baby would be for several months, but either way we would be happy to have them join our family.

The competitive side came out of each girl, and the debate over who was going to do what for the baby started. Bella and I explained that we would need all the help we could get from both of them and that we hoped they would both be willing when needed. There was no doubt in my mind that the baby would have two big sisters gushing over it constantly.

We finished up the conversation by telling the girls we wanted to keep our news a secret until we would tell our family together at Thanksgiving the following week. They loved the thought of knowing something before their Nana did and agreed to keep the secret quickly.

Just as I thought everything was settled from their gender debate, I heard MC as they walked toward their bedroom.

"Wanna bet if our baby is a girl or boy, Kenni Bear?" MC asked slyly.

"What's the prize for the winner?" Makenna asked. There was no doubt she was intrigued.

Bella and I glanced at each other but remained silent as we waited to hear what MC's response would be.

"To hold the baby first."

"Okay… it's a _girl_!" Makenna repeated her guess from earlier with more bite.

"Boy," MC spat out as they rounded the hallway corner and disappeared from our sight.

I shook my head as Bella let out a giggle. I looked back down the hallway then to her again.

"We're in trouble, aren't we?" I asked already knowing the answer.

"I think we are, babe. You know better than I do how it feels to have a sibling. It's probably just the beginning for them. I expect their disagreements to become heated, and the topics will probably border on the ridiculous as puberty approaches."

I felt the color drain from my face as Bella finished her statement. Puberty meant out of control emotions, which we would get to experience times two. I started praying for a boy, because I wasn't sure I would make it through three teenage daughters.

I told Bella my thoughts, and she became hysterical from laughing. I didn't see what was so funny but she seemed to think the thought of me dealing with three daughters was comical for some reason.

Later that night we settled into bed, and my hands sought out our growing child. As I made circles around the soft flesh of my wife's stomach, I spoke quietly of my wish for a healthy baby, even if it meant losing my sanity by remaining outnumbered in a house full of girls.

The week finished up quickly for me, my time spread thin between juggling school, work and secretly visiting our new house. When moving day arrived, it became a struggle to keep Bella away from our new house before I was ready to head over there. She wanted to leave while we loaded up the moving truck and started to point out where she wanted things. I had to enlist Alice to keep her busy, giving them the task of walking through Bella's house making notes on what needed to be done in order to put the house up for sale. It worked out perfectly, and before I knew it we were all pulling up in the driveway of our new home together.

Our family had only looked at a couple of pictures of the house we took on a second walk through. Everyone was excited to see it in person after hearing how much we loved it for the past month.

I inserted the key, unlocking the door, and then pushed it forward to welcome everyone in. Bella seemed eager to enter herself but waited for everyone to go first. As soon as she was over the threshold, she saw the living room furniture we had picked out perfectly in the areas we envisioned them.

She turned to me with a smirk on her face.

"Edward Cullen, you're one sneaky man, and I love you for it. I thought we'd have to use our camping chairs for the next week."

I laughed at her expression and shrugged my shoulders. Bella walked back to the entryway where I was standing and stepped up on her tippy toes to kiss me. "Thank you," she whispered as she pulled away.

"This isn't it, Bizzy. Come with me." I knew she would eventually get to the dining room and see the new, large table there, but I was more excited for her to see what I had done upstairs.

What she didn't know was that I had taken a day off last week for the furniture delivery, and as soon as the last piece was in place, I went to work putting all the small touches on our bedroom.

After we had picked out the bedroom set we wanted, I showed it to my mom and asked for some decorating tips. I explained what my inspiration for the room would be, and she gave me a few ideas for where to pick up accessories that would coordinate. She had impeccable taste, and I knew she'd suggest a store that would have exactly what I needed to complete the look I was hoping to achieve.

With Bella's hand in mine, I nervously led her up the stairs and down the hallway towards the closed double doors. Although no words were spoken between us, I was sure Bella already had an idea of what was going on after seeing the new furniture downstairs. Her quietness did nothing to calm me down. I was concerned she'd be upset I'd taken the initiative to decorate our room, but I had hoped she would understand when she saw the item I assumed she had long forgotten about.

When we reached the doorway I let go of her hand and twisted the doorknob. I positioned myself so I could see her face when she got her first glance at what awaited her.

As the soft gray walls came into view, Bella peeked around me to get a better view. When her breath hitched, I knew what she noticed. The inspiration behind the room's color palate, the painting she wanted during our trip to Vancouver but was too stubborn to buy.

I had hung it on the far wall of the sitting area next to the fireplace where I knew Bella would spend every chance she could get reading. The abstract tree made from soft color tones brought a sense of peacefulness to the area. I had chosen the gray paint hues from the painting itself, knowing it would allow the green and blue colors to pop. The white trim moldings surrounding the room and fireplace complemented it as well.

"That's the painting I loved from Vancouver," she said in a whisper as she walked straight towards it, bypassing the rest of the room.

I followed Bella and wrapped my arms around her waist, placing a kiss on her head. As she leaned back against me, I explained how I'd been waiting months to show her the painting.

She turned around in my arms and placed hers around my neck, pulling me down for numerous chaste kisses and thanking me each time our lips met. I chuckled at her response to the painting, loving the fact I had made her happy once again.

"I'm one lucky woman to have scooped you up, Cullen, but I'm pissed that you bought it for me when I told you not to." Bella tried to keep a stern look on her face, but the twinkle in her eyes gave away that she was far from being upset with me. My wife loved surprises, even though she would never admit it.

"You wanted it, so I bought it for you." I shrugged while keeping my firm hold on her. "Plus, I wanted us both to have something to remember our first trip together," I expressed, liking the idea we would have a space that was just ours and it would represent a new beginning for us.

We continued to walk around our room, while I pointed out different design elements and explained why I'd chosen certain pieces. Bella scolded me for always finding ways to surprise her and not leaving areas for her to do the same for me. Just as I was teasing her about needing to up her game if she planned to get something past me, we heard several sets of footsteps headed up the stairs.

"Come on, Nana and Grandpa. Let's go see my room first." MC directed the pack, leading them to the room furthest away from ours.

Bella and I exchanged one last kiss before walking out our bedroom door, where we knew our family would be. Everyone looked in MC's room as she explained her plans for it then moved on to Makenna's, where she did the same.

After a quick glance at the bathroom, they started to pass the room closest to ours. MC stopped abruptly, forcing my parents and Makenna to stop just as quickly.

"And this is _our_ baby brother's room," she declared nonchalantly as she pointed over her shoulder.

**A/N: Baby Cullen **_**is **_**baking in Bella's baby making oven, and Dr. Cullen couldn't be happier. Come on, you all knew it was going to happen.**

**Gotta love MC and Makenna's reaction to the baby, don't ya? **

**Bella had some weird cravings already, huh? There was no way Allie wouldn't notice.**

**If you follow us on twitter, you already know that we bet each other Starbucks gift cards on fanfic plots all the time. We had to have the girls bet on the gender of the baby too! On a side note, never take ladysharkey1 to Vegas with you if you want to win. *jadsmama laughs while drinking coffee***

**Thanks to Mrs. Voldemort…**

**Oh, and pictures of their new house have been uploaded to PhotoBucket. Nice house. =)**

**Thanks for reading. If you have the time, please review and we'll send you a teaser of the next chapter.**


	27. Holiday

**Thank you to our beta LZTZ, and prereader tanglingshadows, for all of their help and support.**

**Disclaimer: We don't own Twilight, but it owns us.**

**Chapter 27 - Holiday**

_**Edward **_

"Yo, kid, we're down here," Emmett called from the front row of the theater.

It was the night of Makenna's Christmas ballet recital, and we had a large group of family and friends coming to watch her first dance performance. Emmett saved our seats while we stayed with her backstage until it was time for the parents to leave.

Somehow Emmett managed to snag the entire front row. He used his larger than life personality to keep the ushers from enforcing the "No saving seats" policy that had been posted on the auditorium doors. By the looks we received walking towards the stage, I could tell people were pissed off he made us an exception to the rule.

"Thanks Em. What did you do? Push down little old ladies to get these?" I teased, taking the seat next to my brother.

"What can I say? I want my niece to see her favorite uncle while she's up there doing her thing." Shrugging, he opened the program and pointed to Makenna's name listed under the _Snowflakes_.

Emmett and Rose had really bonded with both girls and, despite his macho personality he had a soft spot for them. He had no shame spending a Saturday night sitting through a performance of The Nutcracker. Emmett would enjoy every minute just because Makenna would be performing.

He was the best uncle my children could ask for, and I knew he and Rose would make awesome parents someday. I looked forward to having the same bond with my future niece or nephew as they had with MC and Makenna.

Emmett was also the best brother, and I was glad we'd been able to repair our relationship.

Jessica and Mike had flown in to support Makenna, who turned out to be one of the best Snowflakes on stage. I knew I was being biased, but I didn't care; that was my baby girl up there, and her confidence made me a proud father.

Bella leaned her head towards me, whispering without moving her focus from the stage. "Kenni Bear's doing so well. She's made to be a dancer."

"I know," I stated proudly, smiling as I watch Makenna move. I was amazed her shyness seemed to melt away as she glided effortlessly across the stage, staying in rhythm with her fellow dancers. She seemed to thrive as she performed in front of an audience.

When the final curtain went down, Emmett was the first to jump up and clap loudly. Both Rose and my mother grumbled under their breaths about being embarrassed by his enthusiasm. I couldn't do anything but laugh, because he was confident enough not to care what others thought about him.

I turned towards Bella, and my laughter faded into chuckles at the sight of her wiping a tear away. She must have sensed my eyes on her, because she turned her head towards me with a frown on her face.

"Don't you dare laugh at me, Edward Cullen! That was our daughter up there, and she was spectacular! I'm allowed to cry if I want to," she laughed as she wiped away another tear and I pulled her into a tight hug with our baby resting between us.

When the dancers were allowed to leave, Makenna shyly greeted everyone while holding Bella's hand. She received several bouquets of flowers, but she made sure she kept one free so she could touch Bella's stomach.

While Jessica and Mike were talking to my dad, I noticed Jessica's eyes travel to Makenna, as she glided her fingers over the baby. Jessica then looked up and met my eyes, giving me a small smile.

I had told her about our baby a couple of months ago, because I knew if I didn't, Makenna would tell her mother during one of their phone calls. The girls were too excited to keep the baby a secret, so we never had to tell anyone Bella was pregnant. They did it for us.

Believe it or not, Jessica seemed genuinely happy for us and gave me some good advice on how to treat a pregnant woman. Our talk turned into a discussion about when she was pregnant, and I was saddened at the memory. That was the first time we had a civil conversation about our history, and I apologized for the emotional detachment I had from her. Jessica stated when she first saw me with Makenna, and throughout the years since her birth, I had made up for my distance during her pregnancy. Our conversation didn't linger, and it felt like the tension between us had cleared a little bit more.

My mom's movement broke the silent conversation I was having with Jessica. I returned her smile then turned towards my wife once again.

"How's my grandchild doing today?" my mom asked as she placed her hands next to Makenna's. Bella didn't seem to mind all of the attention her stomach was receiving.

After MC blurted to my parents we had a baby on the way during their tour of our new house, my mom went nuts with excitement. She was over-the-moon with happiness, knowing she'd have another grandchild to spoil. My dad had patted me on the back and then gave Bella an affectionate hug, offering us his congratulations. Seeing the excitement in my parent's eyes as they heard about our blessing made my heart soar. I knew our baby would be loved just as much as Makenna and MC were, and I looked forward to seeing my parents surrounded by their grandchildren. Many phone calls were made that night to our family and friends, and everyone said they couldn't wait until June to meet our baby.

"Esme, your grandbaby is making me eat like I'm a starved woman today. I can't seem to stop stuffing my face," Bella answered just as her stomach let out a grumble, causing my mom to laugh.

"That's exactly how I felt while pregnant with Emmett. I'd have food within reach at all times. Carlisle used to tease me and say he couldn't afford to feed us, even with his doctor's salary."

Since my mom had learned about our pregnancy, I'd noticed she seemed to have become even closer to Bella. When I mentioned it to my wife, she explained how much she'd missed having her own mom around during her pregnancy with MC. She'd said it felt good to have a mother who offered advice and was enjoying the pregnancy as much as she was. I realized then, this pregnancy was a second chance for both of us. We truly loved Makenna and MC, more than life itself, and would never change how they were brought into our lives. But this time, we'd be able to take pleasure in our chance at becoming parents together, a little bit more than we had with Jessica and Jake.

The week following the recital, Makenna spent time with Jessica and Mike in San Diego, where he had been contracted to work. They would celebrate an early Christmas together, and she was even more ecstatic about going to Sea World for the first time. MC was enjoying some time with Billy in La Push. Since she was Jake's daughter, MC always had a warm welcome and loved all the attention everyone gave her.

With the girls away, our house seemed too quiet and empty. In bed, with my wife's body tangled around mine, my mind wandered to what the house would be like the following Christmas when we'd have three kids in our family. I looked forward to the excitement of witnessing the magic the holidays bring through another child's eyes and how Makenna and MC would be a part of making everlasting memories with their sibling. Even though our little one wouldn't really get the concept of the holiday for a few years, I longed to see tiny hands trying to rip the paper off the presents or to have another stocking hanging from the fireplace alongside ours.

Before I even realized, the brightness from the morning light was peeking through our blinds. I rolled to my side and took in Bella's gloriously naked back. I couldn't suppress a smile as I thought about the way we'd spent our evening alone.

I ran my fingertips lightly across her shoulder blades and then up and down along the curve of her spine. After a couple of passes, Bella began to stir.

"Mmm. Good morning, handsome," she whispered over her shoulder in a raspy voice.

I pulled her body to mine, kissing her neck and tracing small circles on her belly.

"Good morning to you, beautiful," I responded and snuggled closer.

Bella nestled impossibly closer to me and laced our fingers together over her bare, slightly rounded stomach. My hands brushed along the warm flesh where our child was, and I couldn't help but notice the small changes to her body. There was no denying that her fuller breasts caught my attention often. I enjoyed the weight of them in the palms of my hands and felt pride that I knew their purpose would soon to be nourish our baby. Her hips had started to widen, shaping her slender figure just enough that when I ran my hands down the sides, I could feel the hourglass shape her body was starting to take on. I had never appreciated the changes a woman's body goes through, and even though I loved every dip and curve of Bella's body prior to her becoming pregnant, knowing that _my _child growing in her body was the reason for these changes made her all the more attractive to me. The one change I looked forward to the most was when the baby would be big enough for me to feel the flutters that Bella had been feeling over the past few weeks.

"Ready for our shopping trip today, Mrs. Cullen?" I asked with a smirk on my face, which I was glad she couldn't see. Bella was not too thrilled about going. Her low moan proved nothing had changed since we'd last spoken.

"Do I _really_ need a new car, Edward? I love my Mini," she grumbled, making me shake with laughter.

"Sweetheart, we've talked about it. Unless you plan to tie our baby to the roof of your car, you need more room. I know you love the Mini, and we'll keep it so you can drive it when you don't have to haul three kids around, but we have to get you something bigger."

"I know how you think, Cullen. You'll want to buy the most expensive car there is. Sure, we can afford it, but babe, we don't need a luxury tank to keep us safe," Bella laughed as she pushed the blankets away and went to the bathroom, while I went downstairs to make breakfast.

Bella thanked me for the Denver omelet and orange juice I had waiting for her, and she swallowed her prenatal vitamin. With each bite she took, Bella moaned and groaned her pleasure, which made me laugh. When I explained myself, she said she felt more like a man these days because food was the way to her heart. I told her sex was the way to a man's heart, to which she called me a pervert but promised to make me fall even more in love with her later. I couldn't wait!

Before we left, I showed her the information for the SUVs I thought we should check out. With three kids, and potentially more in the future, cars were no longer an option for us.

After narrowing it down to two choices, we decided we would head over to the Audi and Acura dealerships. Our drive went better than I expected, as Bella seemed to embrace the idea. Somehow, in the fifteen minutes we spent in the car, she actually seemed excited we were out shopping.

Several hours later, we were proud owners of a gray Audi Q7. Bella fell in love with it even before we took a test drive, making both the salesman and me happy men.

Bella made good on her promise from earlier in the morning and gave me a private thank you that evening, all the while insisting we christen every available space outside of our bedroom while the girls were away.

_Maybe having an empty house wasn't too bad after all!_

The remainder of the week went by slowly without the constant excitement the girls brought to our house. And while we loved the quiet, Bella and I couldn't wait to have them home again. There was something about all of us being under the same roof that made everything feel complete. Their absence, though, had one benefit; we were able to take our time Christmas shopping. We wanted to make the holidays special since it was our first as a family, and we may have gone a little overboard with the decorations and gifts. The girls had given us a long list of ideas, and Bella and I had enjoyed the time spent shopping for them. We even managed to pick up a surprise or two along the way.

With both girls scheduled to return home on Christmas Eve morning, Bella and I spent our last night getting everything ready for the family dinner we agreed to host on Christmas day, as well as wrapping the last of the gifts.

When the girls returned, we showered each of them with attention, and they rolled their eyes and wiped our kisses away. Bella teased they would never be able to go away to college, because she would miss them way too much. We received another set of rolled eyes at our overzealous display of affection, and the two of them ran off to their rooms, anxious for girl time. It looked like they'd missed each other just as much as we'd missed them.

We spent Christmas Eve as a small family. After a low-key dinner, we all snuggled on the couch and watched _Rudolph the Red Nosed_ _Reindeer_ and ate some of the cookies the girls had decorated for Santa. Halfway through reading, _'twas the Night Before Christmas_, Bella and I were both shocked when we noticed Makenna and MC had fallen asleep. I carried them up to their bedrooms, tucked my tired children and wife in bed, and then drove to Emmett's house to pick up the presents.

After I returned and got everything set up for Christmas morning, I took a shower and crawled into bed. Just like the rest of my family, I was asleep in no time at all.

Sleep didn't last as long as I had hoped it would. With darkness surrounding me, I felt small hands nudging me awake.

"Dad," I heard MC's voice in my ear as she tried to whisper.

"Huh?" I responded without opening my eyes, hoping I would be able to get back to sleep quickly.

"I hear noises downstairs," MC said a little louder to get my attention.

I forced one eye open and, when I was able to focus on her, I felt bad for the scared look on her face.

"It's okay, baby girl, go back to sleep and I'll go check on it for us, alright?" I responded, blinking my eyes, hoping to wake up enough to walk down the stairs.

MC agreed but crept behind me until I had to turn to the stairs. At that point, she darted back to her room and closed the door.

_Chicken._

With each step I took, the noises got louder. Instead of being frightened that we had an intruder, I was scared that our surprise would be ruined.

I opened the garage door and bent down to look inside the cage at the small fur ball. I was too afraid to take her out, because I worried MC would wake Bella up to come downstairs to check on me. I patted her small head and turned on the radio, hoping the music would help keep her from being lonely until morning. I checked on MC, who had already fallen back to sleep, and returned to a sleepy Bella. I explained what had happened and closed my eyes praying for a few more hours of sleep.

The sound of giggling woke me for the second time that morning. I looked over my shoulder to find Makenna smashed into my back and MC next to her. Both girls were facing Bella who was attempting to talk and laugh quietly.

"Merry Christmas, ladies," I said as I rolled to face them.

They returned the sentiment, and the girls started begging to open gifts.

"Both of you go brush your teeth, and then we'll meet you downstairs," Bella directed, finding a way to give us a head start.

As soon as they were gone, we jumped out of bed and made our way downstairs, going straight for our garage. Bella held the puppy until we heard the girls' heavy footsteps barreling down the stairs and placed it on the ground. As if it already knew what to do, the puppy ran directly to the girls', meeting them at the bottom step.

"We got a puppy!" Makenna squealed and reached down to pick her up.

"Santa got our letter, Kenni," MC added as she scratched the dog's fuzzy head and laughed as it tried to lick her hand.

We'd found a three-month-old Golden Retriever puppy at a rescue center not too far away from us. She was one of nine in her litter and was, by far, the friendliest. We knew she'd make a wonderful family pet, and more importantly, would give us another year of Santa with the girls.

Bella walked up to my side and put her arm around my waist.

"Good job, Daddy. Your girls are very happy," she said in a sweet voice before tiptoeing to kiss me.

"I hope my favorite girl is happy, too, when she opens her present," I responded before my lips touched hers again.

Bella pulled her head back with an annoyed glare on her face.

"There better not be anything from you under that tree for me. We agreed," she said with a mischievous smile.

I shook my head and laughed at her comment_. She had to be kidding_.

"Oh, Bizzy, you must not know me too well, after all. I had to buy my adorable, pregnant wife a gift for our first holiday together." I continued with mock annoyance in my voice, "Who do you think you're talking to here?" I shook my head, pulled Bella towards the Christmas tree, and began to pass out gifts.

"Before we start, you need to take the puppy outside to do its business, Edward. Take the girls with you while I get my camera," she laughed at the look on my face.

"Yes, dear," I laughed, grabbed my daughters' hands, and we watched as the puppy run around for a few minutes before we came back inside.

We let the girls open their presents first while we took turns holding the puppy. Bella snapped tons of pictures of every last gift they opened for the scrapbook she was planning to make. We quietly sat back and enjoyed watching them exchange the special gifts they had made for one another. Bella and I started the tradition in high school of making homemade Valentines cards for one another and suggested that the girls do something similar for Christmas. It was their first year being sisters, and we wanted them to have a tradition of their own.

Both girls were thrilled with the suggestion and were eager to surprise the other with the perfect handmade gift. Bella and I made sure each girl had the materials she needed and helped out when asked, but for the most part our girls ran with the idea and made perfect Christmas gifts.

MC was impatient and got the okay to open her gift first. She was pleased to see Makenna had made her a memento box where she could keep all her prized possessions. It was decorated with everything MC loved the most in life – soccer, iCarly, ice cream, and the color blue. The part that stood out the most was the framed picture of the girls with the caption of _Sisters _in glitter underneath it.

Makenna squealed with delight when the last strip of wrapping paper was removed from the jewelry box MC had decorated for her. Once again, the girls knew each other completely and personalized their gifts perfectly. MC had painted the chest pink and decorated it with butterflies made out of beads and glitter.

The girls hugged and thanked one another, causing Bella and I to look on with admiration. We had turned two best friends into sisters, and that was a gift they'd carry without every day of the year.

The dog wanted nothing to do with Bella or me and was more interested in the girls and the wrapping paper littering our family room floor. We could only contain her for so long, before she made her way over to the girls, causing them to forget about their other gifts and give her their undivided attention.

After a long debate over what to name her, Bella and I sat on the floor in front of the twinkling lights on the Christmas tree and exchanged our gifts while the girls chased Sam around the house. We had taken a vote after everyone offered one name suggestion each, and MC's idea won, Sam, from iCarly of course.

Bella laughed as she presented me with a present, giggling as I opened it. _Brat!_ She surprised me with the newest iPhone, stating it was time for me to upgrade from my BlackBerry. She knew how I had been struggling with the idea of parting with my beloved BlackBerry and had tried to point out the features the iPhone had that would be useful to me several times. Now, I knew why Bella went to such great lengths to share that information with me; she was talking me up for my Christmas gift. Bella was pleased to see I had given her an iPad. When I explained the vast variety of things she could do on it, including reading eBooks, Bella was elated. I told her it was too hard to find a house she liked, and I refused to move again when books started to overtake our house. I wasn't surprised that earned me a nice smack on my arm, but I didn't care, it really was the truth. Going by her laughter, she knew it was too.

After the last gift was opened, I sat back on the couch and looked around at my family. Surrounded by the loves of my life, along with the growing baby in Bella's stomach, they were the best gifts I had ever been given. It didn't take a holiday to make me thankful for having them in my life.

I felt lucky to have them every day.

**~~ E & B ~~**

_**Bella**_

"Hey, Bella," Edward said in a sexy voice that made me shudder in anticipation.

I took a deep breath and turned around to face him. "Yeah, babe?"

"Are you sure you don't want to spend the evening out with our friends? I promise I won't leave your side for a second. Then later, you can come home to start the New Year off right, wrapped up in bed with your adoring, oh-so-in-love-with-you husband," he said teasingly as he brushed his lips along my collarbone.

"I really don't, baby," I said. I looked down, feeling bad for making Edward stay home on New Year's Eve, but my morning sickness had been more like all day sickness. I really didn't want to spend it at The Hangover, surrounded by obnoxious, drunken fools and the loud music. Just the very thought made my stomach churn.

Edward leaned down and gently kissed my forehead. "I'm sorry you're still not feeling well, though. I'll call Allie and ask her to let everyone know we're just staying here tonight."

I kissed his chin and spoke softly. "Thanks for doing this, baby. I know you wanted to make this New Year's Eve better than last year's, but honestly, I wouldn't change seeing you again that night for anything. Look at how far we've come in the past year."

Edward took a step back and smiled as he brought his hands to my stomach. His eyes sparkled with adoration and made me giddy.

We really had come a long way. Last year, I remembered only agreeing to go to the bar because it was Jasper's opening night at The Hangover. Running into Edward that night was emotionally exhausting and confusing. A lot of feelings I'd tried to suppress over the years came flooding back that evening, including loss, desperation and betrayal, but ultimately, it was those same emotions that lead us back together. Without them, we'd never have known the passion that had once lived within us had actually mended our souls.

"God, I love our little one so much already, Bella." He leaned down and kissed me on my lips. "I love you more than ever, and I wouldn't change anything either."

He brought my hand up to kiss my wedding ring, leaving his other on my baby bump. "I guess this just means I get you all to myself," he smirked, a hint of lust in his eyes.

Edward's affect on me was instant; my breathing hitched, goose bumps popped up along my skin, and I moaned as I stood up to wrap my arms around his neck, bumping his stomach with my belly.

Edward tipped my face towards his and kissed my lips gently. "I…" Kiss. "Love." Kiss. "You." We kissed passionately, as he showed me how much he truly loved me, without using words.

I heard Sam scratching and whining at the door. "I love you, too, but I think the puppy wants outside again. Do you want to take a walk with your pregnant wife?" I looked up into his beautiful eyes when I heard him laugh. It was one of my favorite sounds and always made me happy.

"I would go anywhere with my pregnant wife. I'll get Sam's leash and meet you out front. Can you grab my jacket for me?" He looked down at his hand, still moving around my rounding belly, and smiled.

"Sure can." I tiptoed to kiss him quickly and made my way to the closet. I heard Sam getting excited when she saw Edward approaching her with the leash. It was funny how quickly she'd become such an important part of our family. MC and Makenna spoiled her rotten and doted on her every need. When they were home, both girls insisted on taking Sam to the backyard to play and do her business. Makenna gave her clean water, and MC was in charge of her Puppy Chow. Who knows how long they would help, but I had a feeling it would last a long time.

The girls were spending the night at their Nana and Grandpa's house. My mom and Phil had stayed with us the week following Christmas and planned to watch the girls while we went out. Instead of spending the evening at our house, Esme invited them over to celebrate New Year's with them. They planned to play games, watch movies and eat snacks until midnight then return home in the afternoon the following day.

A few minutes later, we were walking hand in hand. Edward held onto Sam's leash, and she stopped frequently while she explored the grass.

"So, do we get to take turns like MC and Makenna do?" I asked in a childish voice. The girls had made an agreement that one of them held the leash for the first half of their walks, then switched so the other could walk Sam home. I was proud of them for making a rule all on their own. It was better than listening to bickering and forcing us to settle their disagreement.

"Well, I suppose I could share her, but I don't really want to. She's a daddy's girl, babe," my playful husband smiled as he leaned down to kiss me. "But since I'm trying to play nice tonight and earn some sexy loving from my wife, I'll let you have a turn."

I wrapped my arms around him and held on tightly as we walked along the sidewalk in a comfortable silence.

When we returned home, Edward mentioned Seattle General had called earlier in the week and accepted him into their research department. He wanted to surprise me with the news. We began building new life together, and that was another goal we wanted to accomplish. Sure, he went to school and did all the hard work, but I tended to the needs of our family when he couldn't be there. We had a united desire and succeeded because we worked as a team.

"I'm so happy and proud of you, Edward," I shouted excitedly and grabbed his face to bring his lips down to mine for a searing kiss, tongues gliding against one another, as his hands moved up and down my back.

He'd finished his classes at UW a few weeks earlier and learned more about cancer detection, treatments, and drugs to fight that damn disease than either of us expected. Edward would start his new position mid-January after they found a replacement for his current job.

Breathless, he pulled away. "Thank you. I really can't wait to get started, because I feel so compelled to do something about it. No one else should have to suffer the pain and loss of fighting this disease." He huffed and looked around, fighting his emotions as his chin quivered with the effort not to cry. I knew what, or rather, whom he was thinking about. He lowered his voice, "I still feel his loss, Bella. I hope he knows I'm doing this for him."

"Jake knows, Edward. He knows," I mumbled into his chest. We held each other for a few minutes, not speaking with words, but through touch.

"Do you want some hot tea to settle your stomach, Momma?" Edward asked sweetly.

"How about I make some hot chocolate while you call Allie?" I asked softly.

We kissed again and slowly pulled apart from one another.

It was two hours until midnight, and I heard soft music coming from our living room. Walking closer, I noticed candles flickering in the room and a glow coming from the fireplace, as the warmth from the fire filled the room. Blankets and pillows were scattered around the floor and Edward was stood near the window in a pair of jeans, which sat low on his hips. No shoes or socks, and no shirt. _Just jeans!_

My breath hitched, and I think I may have drooled at the sight of his muscular chest. His eyes burned with a desire that mirrored my own, as mine began to roam from his mouth, down along his chest, following the path of his hair that disappeared underneath of his clothes.

The sound of Edward clearing his throat snapped my eyes up to his. He reached out his hand and held it there, wordlessly summoning me to him. His wedding ring sparkled from the flames in the fireplace. I walked across the room and intertwined my fingers with his, bringing his ring to my lips and kissing it.

"The hot chocolate is in the kitchen if you're ready," I said not really giving a shit any longer about our drinks.

His head tipped down and he held my gaze as he ever so slowly leaned forward to place a soft kiss on my lips.

"Dance with me." It wasn't a question but a request. I stepped closer and brought our joined hands to his chest and wrapped my other one around his waist.

The songs we danced to were all inspired by love, which filled the room with a quiet ambiance as we swayed to the melodies together. Kiss after kiss connected our bodies, while the words spoken between us joined our souls.

Edward let go of my hands and began to unbutton the dress shirt I stole from him earlier in the day after a particularly bad moment of sickness. It was on the top of the laundry basket, still smelled like him, and calmed my jitters as I felt closer to him. He always liked when I wore his shirts, so he simply smiled when I walked back downstairs wearing it along with a pair of his boxers, which I had to roll at the waist. He loved seeing my bare belly peek out from underneath _his _clothing.

Slowly button after button was released as we stared into each other's eyes. I brushed my fingertips along his back in encouragement. His muscles flexed at my touch and, as the last button was opened, I began removing his jeans. As I pushed them past his hips, I realized he wasn't wearing boxers, and I moaned as his skin was exposed.

"You're beautiful," I told him.

"As are you." He threw the shirt on the floor then removed my bra, leaving me in his navy boxers that sat just below our baby bump.

The song changed to one that always made me think of Edward, and we continued to dance as I sang the words to him, kissing frequently.

_Every time our eyes meet__  
__This feeling inside me__  
__Is almost more than I can take__  
__Baby when you touch me__  
__I can feel how much you love me__  
__And it just blows me away_

"I love you, Bella," he said as he kissed my nose, then my eyelids. We continued to dance as the skin of our chests pressed tightly together. I could feel his heart beating against me, relaxing me with its gentle rhythm.

___I've never been this close to anyone or anything__  
__I can hear your thoughts__  
__I can see your dreams_

I felt Edward's fingers as they made their way into the top of the boxers. He lowered them, and I kicked them off. We stood before each other, baring our bodies, our love and our souls to one another. There was no distance between us physically or mentally. Our lips began to move together in a timeless dance, without thought, but full of passion.

_I don't know how you do what you do__  
__I'm so in love with you__  
__It just keeps getting better__  
__I want to spend the rest of my life__  
__With you by my side__  
__Forever and ever__  
__Every little thing that you do__  
__Baby, I'm amazed by you___

"Oh god, Bella. I love you," he said as he broke away, kissing a trail from my neck to my collarbone, licking me along the way. I shivered in pleasure.

_The smell of your skin__  
__The taste of your kiss__  
__The way you whisper in the dark_

My thoughts were focused on one goal – loving my husband. "You're my world, Edward. I love you so much. Make love to me," I whispered in the darkened room.

___Your hair all around me__  
__Baby you surround me__  
__You touch every place in my heart__  
__Oh, it feels like the first time, every time__  
__I want to spend the whole night in your eyes_

We slowly lowered ourselves to the blankets. He broke away from me, placed a pillow underneath my head and kissed me lovingly before he leaned down to place a soft kiss on my sore nipple.

In the past weeks, I hadn't been able to enjoy having him touch my breasts. They had been so tender and achy that I'd asked him not touch them.

"Is this okay?" He kissed the other nipple.

I whispered, "Yes."

His tongue licked around the outside of my peak, avoiding where I was most sensitive. Everything he did to me ignited a need for him throughout my body.

"I love your breasts. Someday soon they will feed our son or daughter." He kissed them both again, so lightly I barely felt his movements.

Moaning, I reached down to pull his lips to mine. I held him close to me as we kissed until he pulled away.

"I love your hands when you're touching me. Soon they'll hold our baby, and I can't wait to see you rocking the little one to sleep upstairs in the nursery. It'll be my dream come true."

I felt tears in my eyes from his words. He loved me as much as I loved him, which had always been that way. Our lives would be forever woven together from a desire to cherish and nurture our marriage, because we had learned the hard way about taking each other for granted.

He noticed my tears and brushed them away with his lips.

"I even love your tears, Bella. They tell me when you're happy, mad, or even if you're feeling so much love that your body feels overwhelmed by the flood of emotions you're experiencing. In June, you'll have tears of love as your hold our baby for the first time. I know I'll be feeling the same way," he whispered as his lips moved to my stomach.

He placed tiny kisses on every inch of my skin. His hands ghosted in a circle over my abdomen. I knew where his thoughts were taking him, as we were a reflection of one another.

"I love your body, Mrs. Cullen. Right now, inside of you, there's a baby that we made from our love, growing bigger and stronger every day. Soon we will both be able to feel our child move, and I can't wait to experience this with you. When I think about holding the baby, sometimes I still believe I'm living a dream, and I pray I won't wake up. You've made me so happy, Bella."

He placed his head on my belly, and I stroked his hair. I could tell he was talking to the baby, but I couldn't hear his words. Edward did that every night before bed, and I never knew what he said. When I asked him once, he told me it was between the two of them. I giggled as I saw his big smile and bright eyes while he adoringly kissed around my stomach again, moving lower along my body.

Edward opened my legs, brushed his lips down them slowly, building my need for him. I tried to focus on his movements, but I was lost in a lust-induced haze. When he finally reached my center, I groaned loudly and wiggled my hips to encourage him to give me more. He repeatedly kissed and licked me then pressed his fingers inside my body. I writhed below him.

"I love every part of you, but especially this part. It's where we join as one, how we joined together in the most loving and intimate way, because our bodies are drawn together." He continued to slide his fingers in and out of me.

My hands moved along Edward's shoulders, able to feel his muscles clinching under my touch. I wanted to tell him how much I loved and needed him, but I was so lost in his actions, I couldn't speak. He owned my body. I was his.

"When we're making love, I feel a sense of completeness flow throughout my body, and it flows from me to you. I feel whole, and I never want to separate from you. This is also where we came together fifteen weeks ago and created another life."

His breath caressed my skin. His body pressing against mine and his fingers inside me left my body feeling like it was on fire. He leaned forward to kiss his baby again. The love he showed was no less than the love he had for Makenna and MC. He didn't love MC any less, because she didn't come from him; in fact, Edward adored her, and his unconditional acceptance of my daughter made him even more beautiful in my mind.

"Our son or daughter will leave your body and become a part of our family. I can't wait to see you give birth, and I promise to be with you every step of the way."

I closed my eyes and had to focus on his words, and not the feeling of his fingers moving inside me. My need to make love was becoming desperate. I forced myself to focus for a second as I tried to imagine what it would feel like to hold Edward's baby in my arms. A smile graced my lips, and suddenly I felt him kissing me as he withdrew his fingers and settled between my legs. I pouted for a second as I fought the urge to tell him I needed his fingers in me again but soon realized he had better intentions. I reopened my eyes and waited until he looked into mine before I spoke.

"I love you, Edward. I've loved you for as long as I can remember and I always will," I choked out, my soft voice breaking from the rush of emotions I was experiencing, as I closed my tear-filled eyes. I had always been meant to be married to Edward. He was my other half, my soul mate. We belonged to each other in the most loving and caring way and would stay together until the end of time.

While he hovered above me, Edward wiped my tears, tilted my chin, and asked me to look at him. We stayed locked together in an intense gaze. I fought to hold my tears back again from the overwhelming feeling of love that built up around us.

As he pushed himself into my body and Edward chanted his love, need and devotion over and over again. Our bodies moved together in a practiced perfection, and I felt myself crying as I looked at his face. His eyes were closed, and his jaw was clinched. Through his slightly parted lips, his breaths caressed my face and caused me to close my own eyes for a second. When I reopened them, Edward's eyes were staring back at me with tears of his own. He brushed our lips together and brought his hands up to cup my face.

"I feel it too, Bella. I'm yours, always and forever." Kissing each of my breasts, he trailed his mouth along my collarbones, letting his tongue dip into the valley at the base of my neck. Soon he lightly licked up to my chin and settled against my lips. Speaking to me with our mouths touching, he whispered, "I love you so much I can't even find the words to tell you any longer. My heart is yours, Isabella Marie Cullen. You're my joy, my happiness, my world." He took a deep breath. "There's a part of my heart that belongs to you, and I never want it back."

What I couldn't say to him because I was too focused on our bodies moving as one and the words he whispered in my ear, but I would never let me go. He was my best friend, husband, confidant, lover, a wonderful father to my children, and without him in my life, I was only a small shell of whom I was when we were together. Edward and I learned to strive and reach our goals as a couple, knowing we'd be there to support each other, and to find more satisfaction that we accomplished in a united front.

"I may be within you physically Bella, but it's not the only way we're connected. Marrying you was the absolute best day of my life. Raising our daughters together brings me so much joy and happiness, and knowing we have a baby on the way makes me never want to be separated from you again. My home is with you." He began thrusting again and I felt my release building.

I kissed his jaw and scratched along his back, down to his ass, and pulled him closer to me. We were sharing the same air, breathing each other in. Our naked bodies moved without thought as we clung onto our reason for living.

"Edward," I panted and licked his lips and he opened up to me. Our tongues touched, and I felt myself shudder as I started to orgasm. I lifted my hips off the floor, changing the angle of his thrusts as Edward moved faster within me.

I continued to rock my hips until he gasped, "Bella."

We continued to kiss and touch each other long after we pulled apart. We talked about our dreams for our family and spoke again about whether or not we preferred to have a girl or a boy. We'd had this conversation several times previously and always agreed we just wanted a baby. Boy or girl, it really didn't matter to us, but it was still fun to talk about.

"Honesty, I think I want a boy. You're getting out numbered here, and I think we could benefit from having a mini daddy crawling around next year. What do you want?" I rubbed his shoulders trying to give me a massage, but the angle of our bodies made it difficult.

"I've been thinking about this since I first saw you last year," he said with a smile in his voice, and I rolled my eyes at his playfulness.

"Well, I'm sure you've figured it out by now, but I _really_ love our daughters." I rolled my eyes, and he laughed at my reaction. "Makenna and MC are beautiful, witty and funny as hell. I'd love to see a girl that we made together. I know she'll be just as beautiful as her momma. Plus, I know all the iCarly episodes by heart, I like the color pink, I already know how to braid hair, and lastly, no matter what Emmett may say, playing with Barbie dolls is cool. I want another girl."

He grinned down at me with a sparkle in his eyes. "You do realize, Mrs. Cullen, that I want more than one baby with you, right? We're gonna be greedy and take what we can get. I don't plan to stop until we make at least one girl and a boy," he said as he moved my legs wider and rubbed his dick along my inner thigh. I felt him getting hard against me and sighed.

"I know, Dr. Cullen. I think we're crazy, but I want to have a more than this one here." I patted my stomach.

We stayed cuddled together in front of the fireplace for a while, talking and just goofing around.

Edward began placing soft kisses along my shoulder, following my collarbones to my lips. Soft caresses slowly turned to playful touches, and then became downright needy as they roamed my body, reigniting a blaze deep inside me.

_Torturing me. _

"How about you make your wife a happy woman and stop teasing her? I think we might need to keep practicing until we can try for the next Cullen baby." I lifted my hips and wiggled to encourage my husband to take me.

When he still hadn't moved, I demanded with a huff, "Fuck your wife, Cullen." I smiled up at him and he entered me quickly.

"I'm going to fuck you so hard that you'll be screaming my name this time, Cullen," he grunted in between hard thrusts and pulled my leg over his shoulder.

We heard the chiming on the clock, indicating it was midnight. He reached down and grabbed my other leg, spreading them open while he moved until he was sitting up on his knees. He pulled my ass up onto his lap and continued to enter me quickly.

I looked down to where we were joined; it was erotic to watch him moving in and out of me. His thrusts were strong, powerful, and took me over and over again.

The clock continued to chime.

My tender breasts bounced to the faster rhythm he set, and I had to hold them firmly to my chest. I looked up to see him smirking, trying to hold back from laughing at me.

I cracked a smile, and he lost hold of his control. He busted out laughing, causing me to giggle with him.

Edward laughed even harder as he said, "I'm fucking you into next year." His body shook with the force of his chuckles.

"Oh God… that was so… fucking corny." I laughed so hard I thought I would never catch my breath.

He slowed his pumping and suddenly stopped. He placed a hand lovingly on my stomach and spoke softly, "Happy New Year, Mrs. Cullen."

I looked him in the eye and put my hand on his. "I love you, too, Edward. Happy New Year!" I said enthusiastically. I decided to tease him. "Well, do I get my first kiss of the year or what? I mean, I _am_ growing a baby for you. You'd think that would at least earn me a-"

My teasing was cut off by his lips, and we stayed wrapped up together until the next morning.

It was a Happy New Year indeed.

**A/N: **Buwahahaha… He fucked her into next year! That _was_ fucking corny, eh?

**Jadsmama: **_*whispers*_Hey, love muffin… Remember when we posted the first chapters back in April and our readers didn't like Edward? At all.

**Ladysharkey1: **Um, yeah, baby cakes. Didn't we have to beg a few readers out of flouncing our story?

**Jadsmama: **Hellz ya, we did! *_adjusts reading glasses and looks at our readers_* You're glad you stuck around, right?*_makes a pouty face_*

**Ladysharkey1: **I heard there's a line forming to steal Mr. RomanticWard away from Horny B. We've come full circle, me thinks.

**Jadsmama: **Wait! Who the heck gave us the nickname Horny B to begin with?

**Ladysharkey1: **I don't remember, but it's pretty damn perfect for her. *_shrugs_* Actually, I think we called her that one Tuesday night while we read one of our lemons over the phone. *_scratches head in deep thought_* Is that considered phone sex?

**Jadsmama: **_*rolls eyes*_Not that conversation again.Well, have a great weekend everyone! We love ya! There are 2 regular chapters and an epilogue left.

**Ladysharkey1:** *_Runs off to Costco to buy more tissues_*

We have an outtake we're planning to post some time after we post the epi. Do you have any suggestions for outtakes you'd like to read? We will not write any Edward/Jessica or Bella/Jake time. That's just gross… LOL

The Cullens dance to _Amazed_ by _Lonestar_.

_**Thank you to the Professor, in the library, with the laptop.**_

**If you have the time, please review and we'll send you a teaser of the next chapter. **


	28. Knockin' on Heaven's Door

**Thank you to our beta LZTZ, and prereader tanglingshadows, for their help and support.**

**Disclaimer: We don't own Twilight, but it owns us.**

**Chapter 28 - Knockin' on Heaven's Door**

_**Edward**_

Twenty-seven weeks down, thirteen more to go.

The girls had impatiently waited for the day to arrive when they would get to see the baby during an ultrasound. Bella and I gone to her twenty-week appointment and found out the baby's gender but we had decided to keep that information to ourselves.

Of course, my mom, Alice, Renee, and hell, even people at our jobs, did not understand why we wouldn't budge and tell them. It was an agreement we came to shortly after we heard the girls place their bets. We had been doing a great job talking about the baby only within the confines of our bedroom, but to the outside world Baby Cullen's gender was still up for debate, especially around the girls.

There was a daily battle about whether their baby was going to be a sister or brother. The girls had come to the conclusion that by seeing the 4D ultrasound they would be able to tell who won the bet immediately, just by looking at the face. We chuckled at their innocent ways of seeing things and told them to feel free to dissect the image all they wanted.

Arriving at the ultrasound center had all of us full of anticipation; you could never see your child too many times, even in utero. I loved seeing my baby's precious face and hearing its strong heartbeat. The excitement of knowing that before long I would be witnessing those things first-hand was hard to keep at bay. I was ready to meet my child.

"Remember girls, mind your manners and let the technician explain everything. I know you're excited to see the baby, and so are we, but we need to let her do her job, okay?" I said giving both girls a pointed look.

"Yes," they agreed in unison.

"Yeah, like that _I'm the big bad daddy_ face is going to stop them from going crazy, Edward." Bella chucked and shook her head.

I knew she had a point, but I could never fault them for being excited. I was thrilled they were happy and not disappointed about our family expanding and knew it wasn't always as easy for other blended families.

We were called to the exam room and the medical assistant got Bella situated. The room was accommodating with a couch and mounted flat screen TV to project the images the technician captured.

As soon as the image of our baby's face appeared on the screen, the girls were standing under the TV looking up in amazement. You would have thought the screen wasn't visible from the couch.

The technician giggled at their enthusiasm and started to point out facial features.

When the cursor reached the nose, MC shouted out, "His nose looks like mine, just smaller."

Makenna didn't respond, but the small huff she gave explained that she didn't necessarily agree with MC's statement. She was still adamant we would be bringing a baby girl into our house.

Bella and I exchanged a smile; we were used to their debates. Some people would say we should just tell them what we were having, but we wanted to wait until the baby was born. We knew as soon as they saw their baby brother or sister, they would be enchanted by it and wouldn't care who had guessed right or wrong.

"Right here…" The technician pointed on the screen, "Are the baby's feet and toes." She paused to print a picture for us to take home and then continued. "You can see the baby has its legs tucked in, so we can't find out if it's a girl or a boy today. Sorry." She looked over at Bella and gave her a small wink. We had informed them when we made the appointment that under no circumstances, did we want the gender mentioned. After listening to the girls' banter, I'm sure the technician understood why we made the request.

As exciting as it was to watch Makenna and MC's enthusiasm at finally seeing the baby, I took a minute to drown out their excited chatter and lose myself in the images on the screen. I'd seen 4-D ultrasounds before, but I was watching the only one that ever mattered; it was _my child_ we were gathered around to see, and everyone admired each and every detail.. I wasn't looking at someone else's kid that I would probably only see during a well check appointment someday. The baby wiggling around was a living testament to the love that created it. A love so strong and true that it came together during an act of passion in the most basic but perfectly complex way to solidify its very existence.

I stood stoically in front of the digital image before me and was in awe of the clarity that took away any assumption I had of what our child may look like. It blew my mind that the baby on the screen, the one who really_ did_ have MC's nose, would be joining our family. I had always respected the world of modern medicine, but never before had I truly come to appreciate advanced technology more than that very moment. I got to see just how beautiful my child was and fell impossibly deeper in love. Bella and I would adore and cherish our little one every single day. _How did we become so lucky?_

When the appointment came to an end, Makenna and MC were each handed a printed picture of the baby's face. The small hand was raised slightly above its head, looking as if it was waving. Typed at the bottom was _Hello big sister! I love you._

"She's so cute. I'm gonna take this to school and show Bethany how much she looks like me," Makenna declared with a sigh of contentment, while MC stayed silent but rolled her eyes.

"Good luck Mr. and Mrs. Cullen. It sounds like you have two little mommies on your hands here." The technician chuckled as she handed over the CD of the all the shots she had taken.

"Yes, we sure do." Bella laughed dryly at the truth behind that statement. Without a doubt, it will be us against them battling to have our hands on the baby.

Having the ultrasound and seeing the developments that took place since the one Bella had weeks prior was exactly what we needed before the following weekend fell upon us.

After stopping to pick up Alice the following Saturday, we were all headed to Jake's five-year memorial service. The temperature had dropped the night before and without rain in sight, the clouds and fog were extra thick and blanketed the winding roads.

We left earlier than planned to make sure we wouldn't be rushed for time due to the slower pace we had to keep. My whole life was in our car; there was no way in hell I would be driving over the speed limit with reduced visibility.

"It's kind of eerie out," Bella stated as I got onto the highway, earning a low yes in agreement from me.

I had been thinking the same thing actually. Mother Nature must have known what the day had in store for us, giving us a gloomy backdrop to match our moods. Even Alice had been uncharacteristically quiet.

When we arrived in La Push, I drove straight to the community center where the memorial was going to be held. Despite Bella's attempts to keep the air light between us all on the drive there, I could feel the tension in her body as we held hands.

I gave her hand a squeeze as we stopped at the only light on the reservation.

"You okay, babe?" I asked, trying to get a feel for what she was thinking.

"Mmm hmm," she answered, glancing back at the girls quickly, and then continued, "I'm just ready to get this over with. Is that wrong of me?"

When Billy called with the news that the elders of the tribe wanted to hold a memorial in honor of Jake, Bella and I talked in great lengths over her feelings about it. We both agreed we all needed to be in attendance for MC, especially since it was her father, and she deserved to see how adored he was in his hometown.

"No, sweetheart, it's not wrong. Today will be emotional for you and probably MC, as well; it's alright that you just want to get through it."

"It's just… I haven't seen most of these people…since then," she whispered.

I knew what she was trying to say. The last time she spent an extended amount of time with them was at Jake's funeral and, by seeing them again under these circumstances, the memories from that terrible day would emerge.

As I cautiously pressed down on the gas peddle to continue the drive, I tried to comfort her with only words I had at the time.

"We'll get through it together, Bizzy. I'm here for you this time."

The rest of the drive was spent in silence. Bella wasn't the only one that mentally needed to prepare for what was to come. I was about to witness a ceremony in honor of my friend, the one I'd let down.

When we arrived, the girls piled out of the car and tightly grasped both of our hands. I had spoken to Makenna alone before we left and explained we would be listening to people speak about MC's daddy. I warned her that she might need us to be strong for her, because it may be a sad time.

I wanted to try and prepare her for the worst, should MC or Bella break down. I wasn't sure if someone would approach us and not realize how much their lives had changed. Preparing Makenna would ensure she'd understand the situation and not be thrown off by anyone's reaction to our presence.

I was glad I had thought to have that conversation with her, because the moment we walked through the doors Bella was greeted by several elders of the community. She had to explain several times that she was now Mrs. Cullen, with a stepdaughter and baby on the way. A lot had changed since the last time they saw her, and they embraced us warmly.

Everyone we had encountered was kind and wished us well in our life together. They were pleased MC was flourishing, and when she told stories about her dad, she turned heads several times when she explained I was the one who'd shared them with her.

I could tell by their reactions they wondered how I knew so much about Bella's late husband. Bella stepped in a couple times and explained that Jake and I were friends in college, saving me from their intrigued glances.

Sitting through several speakers, including Billy, was tough, but what got me the most was the slide show they played towards the end. Jake's larger than life personality shined through each picture, showing him in his true form. Seeing his smiles and the way he always threw his head back when he laughed reminded me of all the happy times we'd shared the pictures that included Bella, as well as MC, tugged on my heart more than I expected. As the first one from when they started dating flashed on the screen, the grip on my hand tightened. It stayed that way until the very last one – one of them holding MC, covered from head to toe in muddy and all smiles – faded away. They looked like a happy family.

I squeezed her hand to get her attention, and when our eyes met, I gave her an encouraging smile. I could see hesitation, combined with some remorse, in hers. We'd talked several times about our concerns and fears. She'd told me her biggest concern was that I'd feel awkward being there among people that would see her as Jake's wife.

I understood and appreciated her concerns, but I wasn't bothered by her former status and was proud I was now her husband and a father figure to MC.

The memorial at the community center passed quicker than I anticipated. Walking to the car, I could see the change in Bella. She had made it through without any outbursts, just appropriate tears. MC took the hour we spent reliving her dad's life in stride and enjoyed seeing pictures of him that she'd never seen before.

I felt relieved that all girls had made it through without too much heartache. After that day, I planned to think of the happier times in Jake's life and hoped they would be able to do the same. I had no doubt he was in peace, being the jokester he always was and without an ounce of pain or sickness left in him.

The short drive to Billy's place passed in a blur with the five of us engrossed in an easy conversation about things to do in La Push. MC wanted to take Makenna to First Beach to show her where starfish incrusted the rocks, leading out to the sea. With it being so foggy and dreary, we decided to save it for the warmer summer months.

Billy welcomed us into his home and led Bella to a chair to relax. Bella took the time to speak to Sue, Billy's lady friend, as he liked to call her. Needing to keep myself busy, I made sure both girls had a plate of food before sitting down to mingle with the other guests.

People came and went quickly, paying their respects one last time to Billy, MC, and Bella. They wished our family well and looked forward to meeting MC's new sibling next time we were in La Push.

When the crowd had dwindled down to only a couple of Billy's close friends, I stood up, knowing I couldn't put off what I needed to do any longer.

"Give me a couple minutes," I said looking down at Bella while tugging on my hair out of nervousness. She nodded her head with understanding shining through her eyes.

I stepped out of the house, and my eyes made their way to the edge of the property line. The large tree that shaded the granite marker had caught my attention as soon as we pulled up.

With each step I took, my beating heart sped up. I had known since the night I found out about Jake's death, this moment would come.

Before long, I was out of steps to take. I let out the breath I'd been holding since I got close enough to see what was etched into the granite stone.

"Hey, Chief," I whispered as I lowered myself to crouch down.

"I know… long time no see," I said with a shaky breath as I reached out to trace the letters that spelled out Jacob William Black.

I had so much I wanted say to him over the years, but especially since that faithful night I ran into Bella over a year ago.

"I'm sure you're pretty pissed off at me, and I can't say I blame you." A nervous chuckle surfaced on its own account. "I'm sorry, Jake. I know that's a cowardly thing to say, and you probably don't accept my apology but it's true. I'm so fucking sorry for cutting out on you man. You have to believe me.

"I was young and so fucking dumb. I didn't think of the repercussions of my actions and was being selfish. I know I don't need to go into all that, because you know now what I'm talking about."

Reaching up, I brushed a guilty tear from my cheek.

"I did you wrong, and yes, I do feel guilty about it. I should've been a man and handled things differently, despite what the outcome would've been.

"What bothers me the most is not being here for _you,_ when you needed me. But damn it Jake, why'd you give up so easily? Why not try anything and everything you could've to be _here_ for Bella and MC still? You're actually lucky I wasn't there, because you know I would've nagged your ass until you gave in. I would've pitched a damn tent in front of Johns Hopkins, if that's what it would've taken to get you to seek out other options."

I could feel my anger starting to boil and knew I needed to stop. This moment wasn't about could haves or should haves; it was about me needing to tell my friend I was sorry and what he meant to me.

I looked around at the lush grass and sporadic redwood trees that lined the acreage. The tranquility of the Black's property washed over me, allowing me to feel calm once again. I could finally understand why their family decided to have a private burial plot on their land. You couldn't help but feel at peace.

I turned my head back to the gravestone, giving Jake my full attention. It was the closest I would ever get to looking directly at him and expressing what he had brought to my life. He deserved nothing less than that.

"I have to thank you, Jake. You've helped me clarify what my purpose is in this world. The most important thing you gave me was MC. She's a little girl for me to love as if she was my own. And I love her that way, Jake; she _is_ my daughter in every way that counts. I _swear_ to you, man, I'll try and be the best dad to her as long as I live. I'll make sure she is always loved, protected, and cared for, just like you would've done for her."

I choked back a sob as tears clouded my vision. I felt so fucked up for thanking him for MC, but I had to. If it weren't for him, my life wouldn't be complete.

I took a moment to allow my tears to fall and then tried to get myself together.

"I fucking hate that you died at the hands of that vile disease. The thought that it took you away from MC and Bella makes me furious. It has set something off in me though, a driving force to help find a cure and wipe that fucker out. I promise you, Jake, it's my mission to work hard and assist in anyway I can to save people from the fate you had."

I closed my eyes and deeply inhaled a couple of times, trying to catch my breath.

"_You_ will make me a better doctor each and every time I walk into that lab.

"_You _will be the reason I spend countless hours nose deep in various research studies, looking for the one piece of information that hasn't been discovered yet.

"_You _are the one person I think of when I feel helpless and as if I'm not contributing enough.

"It will all be in your honor Jake, so thank you. You've given me a direction in the world of medicine."

The weight that had been holding me down all day started to lift. For the first time in a very long time, I felt free, that all my skeletons were out in the open. With that being said, I had one last thing to say. I wiped the tear streaks off my face then spoke the words I knew would be the hardest to say.

"You may not want to hear this part, but I can't leave with out saying it. Thank you for loving Bella and being there for her when I wasn't. You didn't fully understand her pain, and I feel like an asshole for making you deal with my mess.

"I'm not naïve. I know if I had stayed around, you and I wouldn't have remained friends. Our friendship was lost the minute I betrayed you. I'm the biggest fucking jackass in this world for doing that to you, but I swear, I always had good intentions when it came to her.

"We never really talked about it, but I'll tell you now, Bella is the one person who has owned my heart and always will. Just like with MC, I promise to love and cherish her until I join you in heaven, and you get to kick my ass."

I chuckled at my joke.

"I know I deserve that much, and I'll take it like a man. Until then, I'm going to let all the shame and guilt I've held inside for the past nine years go. I can't let it hold me down anymore, man, and I hope you understand.

"Goodbye, Chief. You'll always be the best friend I ever had, and I'll love you like a brother forever."

I stayed silent for a moment, allowing my mind to accept the freeness my heart finally felt.

I had no idea how long I stayed there, but before long the sounds of feet brushing through the leaves caught my attention, bringing me out of my daze.

I glanced over my shoulder and saw a weary looking Bella and pensive MC.

"Hey," I cleared my voice, "I'm done here… if you two want a moment."

Bella's eyes stayed locked on mine, asking me if I was okay. I gave her a slight nod and looked at MC, giving her a reassuring smile. As soon as she saw it spread across my face, she matched it with her own.

I stood up and looked to see Makenna rocking on the porch swing with Billy, petting his cat on her lap.

"I'll leave you ladies alone. Take your time. We're not in a hurry."

Bella nodded her head, and I started to walk away.

Unlike the slow pace I was on when I walked to that tree, I kept a normal stride as I headed back to Makenna. I had done what I had always planned to do; I made peace with Jake and promised him everything I knew he would care about, that MC and Bella would have the life he wished for them.

_A life filled with of love and happiness._

**~~ E & B ~~**

_**Bella**_

The day of the memorial had been hard on us, but Alice, Edward and Makenna's presence made it bearable. Alice mingled with the other guests, and Edward had barely left my side for more than a few minutes. Whenever I felt my emotions begin to take over, Makenna would be there to comfort me, holding my hand, kissing my stomach, or telling me she loved me.

Billy and all the others had welcomed my husband and stepdaughter with open arms. I knew they would, but there was always a fear in the back of my mind that they would resent me because I'd moved on without Jake.

I was completely wrong.

Members of the La Push community came out in support of the Black family, especially Billy and MC. My daughter didn't live there, but she was treated as if she'd spent every second of her life with them. Embry loved her like his own daughter and reminded MC that he knew her when she was still growing within my belly. He told her a few stories about Jake's initial reaction to learning he would become a father and then later how Jake began to tell anyone within hearing distance that he had a daughter on the way. MC had a smile as big as Texas on her face and a glimmer in her eyes. I knew what it was like to have lost a father, and the support of those around you in the minutes, days and years after was priceless.

Jake may have been in heaven, but his spirit lived on through his daughter.

"Makenna, have a seat and we'll get some lemonade and drink a glass together." Billy patted the empty spot next to him on the porch swing. She looked at me for permission, I nodded my head, and she smiled as she sat next to MC's grandpa.

Makenna had met Billy several times previously, and she and MC had spent the night with him several times too. They talked about going back out on his little fishing boat while they sipped their drinks. Billy was an amazing man and made sure that those around him knew how much he cared. It didn't matter to him that she was my daughter through my marriage to Edward; he saw her as MC's sister and, because of that, he loved her, too.

"So, you think we can go fishing next time MC comes up here?" Makenna asked shyly while looking through her eyelashes at him. Billy's cat took that opportunity to jump up onto her lap, and she began petting it.

Billy laughed and cleared his throat. "You're a dangerous creature, Miss Cullen. Just looking into your green eyes alone makes it impossible for me to tell you no. Of course, you and your sister are welcome to take this old man fishing anytime. I wouldn't have it any other way, Little Bear."

Little Bear was a nickname he had given her one night after he heard MC call her Kenni Bear. Makenna absolutely loved having a Native American name, and it made her proud of Billy's unconditional acceptance.

"Thanks, Gramps," she said and reached over to hold his hand. They continued to talk softly, and then my attention was drawn to MC.

She was sitting on the ground, which had dried throughout the day, with a little boy I had never noticed before. I could tell he was related to a member of the tribe by the color of his skin and the way in which he interacted with her.

"That's Collin," Makenna told me as I looked back at her, and we shared a smile. I returned my attention to MC and listened as she spoke with the boy.

"My dad has been in heaven for five years," MC stated timidly.

"Are you sad?" Collin asked.

"I was sad, but I'm not anymore. I have a new daddy and a sister, and I'm going to have a baby brother in June," MC said as she glanced my way. I shook my head, smiling at her determination and looked out towards Edward.

He had been visiting Jake's resting place for a while and I didn't want to interrupt him. I knew he had a lot to get off his chest, but it was getting late in the day. I wanted to get home before midnight.

"MC," I called to her.

"Yeah," she responded distractedly while she dug into the ground with a small stick.

I took a second to explain to Makenna where we were going and asked her if she wanted to come along. She shook her head no and continued to pet the cat.

"We're going to get going soon. Why don't you run to the car and get the painting you made for your dad, so we can leave it for him?"

She jumped to her feet and tried to brush the dirt off of the pretty blue dress she'd chosen to wear. No amount of brushing was going to help it. MC had always been a little tomboy, so I knew Jake would love knowing that she was still the same rambunctious little girl he'd adored so much.

We walked across the yard together and came to a stop near the huge tree we had chosen for Jake. Edward turned around to face us, and his eyes traveled to mine then to each of our girls. He looked at MC again, and they shared a smile with each other. The love they shared between them was palpable.

The three of us spoke for a moment, and then Edward turned to join his daughter and Billy. I assumed Alice was inside the house.

MC looked up at me with sad eyes, and I pulled her into a hug.

"You just need to tell your dad what's in your heart and on your mind. He only ever wanted you to be happy, so don't feel like you need to keep secrets from him, okay?" Her eyes looked to the headstone and back to me. "I'll be right over here if you need me." I kissed her forehead and turned to stand close to a nearby tree.

I heard MC take a deep breath and began to talk. "Hi dad. I, uh… made you this painting yesterday so you can see how big I am now." She bent down and placed a red piece of construction paper that had her handprints on it against his headstone. I also noticed she added _I love you daddy_ as well.

"I'm sorry that you've been in heaven for five years without me and Mom, and I hope you're not up there all alone," she whispered towards the end. "Gramps and Momma said that you're surrounded by people who love you."

I tried to give her some privacy and not listen to everything she said to say.

"Um, Edward showed me some picture albums yesterday, and I liked the one where you were teaching me how to make Eskimo kisses. I still like to do those even though I'm old now. Sometimes it tickles my nose and makes me laugh." MC giggled as she reached up to rub her nose as if she felt his kisses.

Of all the regrets I had, my daughter was _never_ one of them. She had brightened my days when I thought I'd never make it through the darkness. MC gave me a reason to better myself, and I became the person I always dreamed of becoming. Even though I'd gone through some rough times and stupidly added burdens upon my own shoulders by making poor decisions, my unconditional and limitless adoration for her made me realize that if I learned to cherish my flaws, accept my actions, and avoid making the same mistakes, I would still be a good person at heart. My faults didn't define who I was as a person. I was only human, but more importantly, I grew contented with all of my imperfections and strived to make each of our days better. In the beginning I did it for _her_; now I try to make me stronger for _myself_. No, I never regretted MC.

She looked back at me with a smile on her face that I returned ten-fold. "Thanks for teaching me how to kiss like that."

MC turned around to face Jake again.

"I was really happy when Edward told me he used to be friends with you. I'm friends with him now, too, and I asked if he would be my dad on earth since you're my daddy in heaven. He said yes. So… I hope you're okay with that. I promise to always love you, Daddy."

Tears rolled down my cheeks as I listened to her repeating a lesson she had leaned in counseling with Dr. Gerandy. Her daddy was in heaven, and it was okay to be sad about it as long as we didn't let it define us. We both would always love Jake, and we would keep him in our hearts as we continued to live in the moment. It wouldn't be fair to MC if we didn't allow her to flourish and grow into the person she was supposed to become.

I closed my eyes in response to MC's words and then felt a pair of strong arms circle around my waist to caress our growing baby. Edward kissed my neck, and I leaned back into him. When I opened my eyes, I noticed that Makenna was holding MC's hand.

"This is my new sister, Makenna," MC said proudly.

"Hi," Makenna said softly and gave a tentative wave.

"She's my best friend, too." My daughter added before turning back to look at me and Edward. "Mommy is going to have a baby, and me and Makenna are betting if it's a girl or a boy. I know he's my baby brother, but Makenna thinks he's a sister. When the baby comes out, the person who wins gets to hold _him_ first."

She smiled at Edward and I watched as Makenna rolled her eyes.

"Well not really gets to hold him _first_. Daddy said he gets to hold the baby first, and they'll come get us when it's time. We're getting his room ready soon. Mom and Dad said we can help them shop for baby stuff, and then we'll decorate his nursery."

"She's not a boy, MC, so stop calling her a boy," Makenna huffed.

"Whatever."

Edward pulled me closer and kissed my forehead as I giggled at them.

"We're in so much trouble, Bizz," he whispered with his lips still touching my skin.

"I know, babe," I responded. I felt Edward tighten his hold around me.

MC turned her attention back to Jake. "So, that's my life right now. Soccer is starting soon, and Edward said he was going to coach the team this year since Coach Beckman moved away. I wanted Makenna to play on my team this year, but she signed up for dance classes again. She's really good. I guess I'll talk to you next time I'm here. I love you, dad. Bye."

Makenna raised their joined hands up and used them to pull MC into a hug. The love they had for each other was instant and inseparable; it mirrored our little, growing family.

I had asked Edward to give me a few minutes to myself again. I'd taken some time earlier in the day to speak with Jake but hearing MC talk to him, made me want to talk about our daughter one more time. Edward kissed my nose and reached out for the girls' hands, leaving me to my thoughts.

"We have a great daughter together, don't we? There're a million different things about her that remind me of you. Just today she wore a dress and played in the dirt. Your little Claire is the tomboy you'd always wanted." I remembered our talks after our ultrasound when we learned the baby was a girl, and his plans to take her fishing and hiking.

"I still can't believe she's in the third grade already. She's very smart but slacks off a lot and I'm constantly pushing her to try harder.

"I hate saying this because it seems so mean to me, but she's the best player on her soccer team. She's like a little storm on the field. Our daughter just plows through the other team and scores at least once in every game. You'd be so proud of the destruction she leaves behind," I said with a laugh.

"We're really happy, Jake, and I know that's all that you ever wanted for us. Edward and I sold the house last year and put the money into MC's college fund. She'll learn one day that you're still providing for her future. It really matters to us that you stay an important part in her life."

I had to take a deep breath to hold back my tears. I had cried so much throughout the day.

"I promise you that we'll all carry your memory in our hearts forever and always."

My effort not to cry was quickly abandoned. Tears ran down my cheeks faster than I could brush them away.

"We love you so much, Jake," I whispered. I stood silently by his grave for a few more moments, then kissed my fingers and traced them over his name carved into the stone.

After we said our goodbyes, we stopped to eat dinner with Alice. We dropped her off at her house and arrived home not too much later. Both girls had fallen asleep, and I said I'd take Sam outside to do her business while Edward carried them in and put them to bed.

Almost an hour later, Edward joined me in the family room where I had the fireplace roaring to heat our chilled bodies as I sipped on some hot chocolate. I had been drinking several mugs of it a day for the past month and craved it all hours of the day and night. I had woken Edward several times to make some. He was just glad I wasn't sending him all over the city with strange cravings.

Looking up into Edward's eyes I could see the worry there. "What's wrong?" I asked as I set my drink down on the end table and ran my fingers through his hair.

He took a deep breath and opened his sad, green eyes.

"Edward, please tell me what's bothering you," I gently begged and took his hand into mine as I continued to play with his silky hair.

"MC woke up when I was putting her pajamas on and she asked me if I would adopt her. She said I'm her dad and that she should get to be a Cullen, too," he spoke softy.

I felt him squeeze my hand and he continued, "I didn't know how to answer her, so I told her we all needed to sit down and talk about it. I hope that's okay, because I don't want to overstep my-"

I cut off his ranting with a kiss.

"Baby, please," he mumbled desperately against my lips. After kissing him a few more times, I reluctantly pulled back from him.

"Edward, you did the right thing. We do need to talk about it, but I think she's too young to fully understand what it really means." I looked between his eyes, pleading for him to agree with me.

"I understand, _I really do_, but she broke my heart as she told me that when the baby comes home she'll be the only one with a different last name in our family. I agree with her. It has to be hard for her even though she's never talked about it." He reached over and pulled me onto his lap.

"I don't want her to ever think I rejected her or that I only want her to call me dad, but not _really_ _be_ her father. I mean, I want that little girl to be mine in every sense of the word." Edward kissed the indentation at the base of my neck.

"If she's mentioned it now, there's a chance she already feels like I don't want her, Bella. I had to tell her that I would do anything in my power to make sure she knows she's my daughter." He pulled me into him and wrapped his arms around me. "I'm sorry if I over-stepped my bounds, but she caught me off guard. I didn't want her going to sleep without knowing how I feel. I love her with all my heart, and I explained that to her; she seemed to understand."

I must admit it didn't surprise me. MC loved Edward as much as he loved her. They had bonded in the very beginning, and their love grew every passing day. I just didn't have the all answers.

"You're right. It would have broken her heart if you just brushed her off. I agree we need to sit down and talk with her, but I don't know if she's truly ready to make this kind of decision. How about I bring it up next week when MC and I go in for our counseling sessions with Dr. Gerandy? I'm sure she can offer us some guidance. Are you okay with that?"

"That sounds great, baby. I just don't want her to feel like we're blowing her off, ya know?" He kissed me firmly and began to make a trail down my neck.

"I know," I moaned.

His hand rubbed my stomach, and he pulled my shirt up to expose our baby. Edward lowered his head and placed kisses all around my big belly. With just a few months to go, I thoroughly enjoyed my husband's attention.

"I love you, Baby Batty," he said and reached for the cocoa butter I left on the coffee table earlier that morning. Edward took his time rubbing the lotion all around my stomach. I blushed when he pulled my pants off to make sure he covered every inch.

I laughed as I remembered how we'd given our baby a nickname the month before. It was a quiet night and we sat at the kitchen table playing Monopoly. I was the banker, because everyone else had cheated and tried to steal money when they thought I wasn't looking. My husband was the biggest thief.

"Can you feel the baby kicking, MC?" Edward asked with a humungous smile on his face.

"Uh huh." She nodded her head and moved her hands around to find every movement she could.

"I can feel you moving, little brother," MC added, smirking at Makenna.

Edward chuckled and rolled his eyes. "Okay, greedy, it's time to share the baby with Makenna. Scoot over a little so she can have her turn."

Makenna stepped forward and placed her hands on both sides of my belly. I felt the baby's movement near my bellybutton and moved her hands to the spot.

"Right here, Kenni. Can you feel the butterflies fluttering around?" I asked with a smile.

She scrunched up her nose and stayed still while trying to feel any sign of the baby.

"Oh, right there, Bella?" Makenna questioned excitedly.

"That's right, sweetie. It feels like butterflies floating around inside me. The kicks will become stronger the larger the baby grows," I clarified for her.

"Do you think she gets scared, because it's so dark inside you?" Makenna added with a concerned tone.

I held back my laughter and took a deep breath. "Not at all, but we should probably research when the baby will begin to open his or her eyes. I'm not sure if that's happening now or not. Maybe your dad can Google it for us, so we can check." Even having a doctor as my husband, the girls enjoyed looking up baby facts with us. It was a great way to keep them involved in the pregnancy.

Her hands ghosted along my skin and she looked back up at me. "It's probably dark like a cave," she said quizzically, as if she was solving a riddle.

I laughed that time. "You're probably right, kiddo." I leaned over to kiss her forehead, struggling a little from my effort because I was sitting in an awkward position with them surrounding me.

"I feel it again, but she doesn't really feel like butterflies at all. It actually feels like a bat is flying around in there," she added innocently.

Edward couldn't restrain himself and busted out laughing. In betweens his chuckles he said, "Bats? Like vampire bats? Makenna Esme Cullen, are you calling this innocent little baby a blood sucker?" Again, my mature husband cracked himself up. He panted and rubbed his eyes as he tried to calm himself. I didn't think he was that funny.

"No, Daddy, I'm _not_ calling her that, but it feels too strong to be just a little butterfly. I think I'm going to call her Baby Batty, because it feels like she's flying around in a cave." She pursed her lips and dared him to challenge her.

Edward straightened up and looked at MC. "So, what do _you_ have to say about this, Mary Claire?"

MC playfully sighed at his use of her full name. "I think my brother will like the bats at the zoo when he's older!" She said excitedly. "I can't wait to take Baby Batty to the zoo!" MC added.

Makenna laughed and said, "Girls can like bats too, MC."

"Well, I'll take my three girls and Baby Batty to the zoo any time we want to go. Let's just promise to the leave the baby bottle filled with blood at home or people might stare at us like we're crazy or something," Edward added while he laughed at his dumb joke. The room was silent, and we all looked around at each other.

"Oh, come on. That was funny stuff, ladies!" Edward begged us to laugh with him.

MC started to crack a smile, and Edward took advantage of her weakness then snatched her up and threw her into the air.

"It was funny!" He huffed and placed her on the floor to tickle her.

"Stop, Dad… it wasn't that funny!" she yelled between laughs. "Our baby will not… drink… blood!"

I was laughing along with the memory. Edward smiled at me and leaned down to kiss my lips. I scooted over so he could lay behind me on the couch and he draped his arm across my stomach. It wasn't the first time I was glad we bought an over-sized couch.

"We have a great family, don't we?" He placed kisses along my neck and glided his hand underneath my shirt to cup my breast. I moaned at the contact as his fingers teased my sensitive nipples.

"A great family? Oh no, we have a perfect family. We love each other, our kids are happy, and we even have a baby on the way. What could be more perfect than that?" I asked as I struggled to turn around so he could have better access to my body and I kissed along his jaw.

"The only thing that could be better right now would be to have our little Baby Batty in our arms," he said against my lips. We touched each other's bodies and kissed until we lost our breath.

**A/N: If you were Jake, what would you think about Edward's apology? **

**Next week we'll be welcoming a baby into the world...get your lullabies ready. If you haven't made your girl/boy prediction, this is your last chance. **

شكرا لك صديق

**Thanks for reading. If you have the time, please review and we'll send you a teaser for the next chapter.**


	29. Sweet Child o' Mine

**Thank you to our beta LZTZ, and pre-reader tanglingshadows, for their help and support.**

**Disclaimer: We don't own Twilight, but it owns us.**

**Chapter 29 – Sweet Child o' Mine**

_**Bella**_

I watched Edward as he looked back and forth between the small black screw he held in one hand and the directions he desperately clung to in his other and couldn't help but laugh. He acted as if the instructions could solve all the mysteries of the universe.

"How the hell I let you talk me into putting the crib together I'll never know?" Edward sat the screw down carefully, so he wouldn't lose it and picked up a hammer. He repeatedly tapped it against his thigh in frustration as he continued to figure out what his next step would be. I had already looked over the assembly instructions earlier and that tool was definitely not needed.

"Drop the hammer, _Bob the Builder_, because there's nothing here for you to bang." I laughed at my stupid joke and wished I could've thought of a better one. The pregnancy seemed to make me lose brain cells by the millions each day. I only had another month left before the baby was due to arrive.

I heard Makenna and MC giggle at me. At least they thought I was still funny!

"Hey, I know, maybe you can use the duct tape you brought up here?" I teased him relentlessly as he turned to glare at me.

His eyes squinted, and I knew he was mentally debating using it to tape my mouth closed. I failed to suppress my giggles at the scowl on his face.

_If I rile him up enough now, he'll make me pay for it later. I can't wait!_

"I knew I should've hired someone for this," he mumbled quietly to himself but loud enough for us to hear.

"Bella told you that the people at the store could build it for us, and I heard you tell the guy you could do it by yourself," Makenna corrected her father from her spot of the floor next to him. I saw his lips turn up as he valiantly tried to hold back a smile. He huffed out a frustrated breath instead.

"No, Kenni Bear, what I tried to tell him was that I-"

MC interrupted his apparent bid to win a Raspberry Award for his pathetic acting skills. "You did say that, Dad. I heard you, too!" Then she sighed and looked back at me. "He said it, right, Mom?" Her eyes looked to Edward then found mine again while she waited for me to answer.

Makenna turned her green eyes towards me and nodded, silently encouraging me to prove him wrong.

_I love my daughters!_

"That's right, little ladies! Your father said he was man enough to use a screwdriver and just look at him now, huffing and puffing like an adolescent school boy," I said as I began to rub my large stomach.

They giggled and turned to look back at their father.

"Whatever," Edward grumbled as he picked up the screw again. He rolled it between his finger and thumb then just dropped it carelessly onto the floor as it rolled in a circle on the hardwood floor.

"Okay fine, I'm calling Emmett." He slumped down in defeat.

Edward's dramatic admittance that he'd failed and was calling his brother caused Makenna and MC to crack up laughing at him.

"Fine, you're right, I did say I could put the thing together, but I was wrong. I don't even think they gave me the right instructions!" Edward flipped the directions upside down and tossed them into the air.

"Putting this death trap together is harder than living in a house full of girls!" His tough façade broke and a huge, mischievous smile appeared. "Come to think about it, if MC wins the bet at least I won't be the only guy in the house anymore." He laughed darkly and rubbed his hands together like a villain with an evil plan.

The girls cracked up laughing at his silliness.

He continued, "I know I told the sales guy that I could do this, but I'm man enough to admit that I'm apparently not _that_ manly enough to make a bed for my baby."

An impromptu wrestling match began as he attacked our daughters for laughing at him. I tried to ignore them and looked around the newly painted, soft white room while the sounds of my family's laughter and banter surrounded me.

I had been sitting in our new glider that afternoon with my feet resting on the ottoman that our parents bought for us. Throughout the past few weeks of my pregnancy, I was becoming more uncomfortable – swollen feet, tight and itchy skin, and it also seemed like every muscle in my body was sore. At work I had to use a massaging chair pad to reduce my back pain, and my OB/GYN suggested that I buy a footstool to keep my feet elevated underneath my desk.

Edward, or better known as _Dr. Know-it-All,_ said my discomfort was normal and expected for women during their third trimester, and logically I knew he was right, but it didn't stop my irritable mood swings. My need to argue with him increased daily, but no matter how much I tried to control my emotions, it seemed they ruled me. He was unlucky enough to bear the brunt of my grumpiness. _Poor guy._

I heard the rustling of a plastic bag and looked over just in time to see Makenna knock over a box, spilling the baby clothes I had already washed during a particularly thorough nesting day. She appeared worried about my reaction and timidly began to fold everything then placed it back into the box. I knew the clothes would not get germy that quickly, but my raging hormones told me otherwise. My craving for absolute perfection was testing my will to remain resting in the chair.

_With this being my second pregnancy, I thought I wouldn't feel this way, but I was very wrong._

The sound of Makenna apologizing extinguished my inner flame and kicked my maternal instincts into action, but it was a close call.

"Sweetie, it was an accident. Just fold them the best you can, and I'll wash them again before the baby arrives. Don't worry about it." I reached out to her, waiting for Makenna to take my hand and felt a sharp pain in my lower abdomen.

"Ouch… shit!" I gasped and tried to massage the intense pain away.

Edward's head darted around, and MC was next to me like a flash of lightening.

"Momma, are you alright?" she asked worriedly.

I nodded my head while I slowed my breathing.

"Is your body practicing again?" Makenna added as she slowly reached out and placed her hand on my belly. "Does it hurt the baby, too?" Her hands moved in small circles and MC joined in.

Edward moved to fold the remaining clothes and packed them away in the box.

"No, the baby doesn't feel the contractions. Do you remember what those are?" I asked them to make sure they understood there was nothing for them to worry about.

"The baby is inside a big balloon-" MC started to say.

Makenna added, "And it's full of water and the baby floats around."

"That's absolutely right," Edward said. "The water protects the baby from harm. When the time comes for the baby to be born, Momma's body will already know what to do because her body has been practicing."

"Then the balloon pops, and the water comes out," our younger daughter said.

Makenna continued her pattern on my stomach, and I felt myself relaxing. "And it makes a mess all over the place."

I rolled my eyes at her joking and joined in the fun. "Yeah, some women look like they peed their pants. I _so _can't wait for that to happen to me."

Everyone laughed and the mood lightened.

Reaching out to take MC's hand, I felt my fingers getting licked and panting breaths warming my hand.

"Sam! That's disgusting! You can't keep licking people." MC giggled. "Dog drool is gross, girl."

Our adorable puppy thrived on the attention as we petted her soft fur, and Edward scratched behind her ears. She was growing like a weed.

"Do you want to go outside, Sammy?" MC asked.

The dog spun around in circles then jumped up and put her paws on MC's thighs, almost knocking her down.

"No jumping… Sit!" MC corrected her, and Sam sat down at her feet instantly. I was so proud of her for taking control. The dog training classes were working well for us. "Come on, let's go," MC patted her hip and left the room with Sam on her heels.

Edward placed his hand on Makenna's shoulder and asked her to go out back with her sister. After she left he started to clean up his mess and put his tools away.

I reached over for my drink that was sitting on top of a cardboard box and took a long sip. One of my recent cravings was a drink called an Arnold Palmer, which was made by mixing half a glass of iced tea and with lemonade. I preferred it with a cup full of ice cubes.

As I watched Edward working, I thought back to my baby shower from a few weeks earlier. Although Esme protested, Alice hosted it at her house. I insisted on two things when I agreed to show up. Firstly, it had to be low key. I didn't want an extravagant, over-the-top circus that did nothing but stress me out. Secondly, I wanted Edward there; he had more than earned the right to celebrate the upcoming arrival of our child.

No matter how testy I became or when my temper was short, he showered me with nothing but love and tenderness. His gentle touches calmed me and lifted the unwanted fog away from my hormonally clouded brain. Yeah, he would be at the baby shower beside me. Watching Edward brag about our baby while laughing off his brother's teasing comments about being my servant, and then hearing the pride and devotion to our family put him at the top of my invite list. No questions asked.

Alice had outdone herself with her witty, oh-so-cute decorations. The girls had spent the night with her the day before the shower to help set up, decorate, and cook. The decorations were handmade, puffy tissue paper clouds that were suspended above the food table and had small turquoise paper cutout raindrops dangling from thin strings to make it appear as if it were raining.

To carry on their unique theme, they chose to make cupcakes in various flavors, each decorated in a light colored turquoise butter cream frosting with a toothpick that was capped off with a small paper cloud. My favorite snacks were the toasted coconut marshmallows that looked like lollipops. The little pink or blue bow tied directly underneath the marshmallow on the wooden stick made me smile in happiness.

Light blue cloud covered balloons floated around the room, some were clustered and rose up from the tabletops in groups and others bounced freely around the ceiling. The slight breeze from the ceiling fan in Alice's kitchen caused the balloons to move and sway, and my attention was drawn to them frequently.

The smell of the food wafted throughout the house, and the sounds of joy from my family and friends filled my heart with a deep-rooted peace I had come to treasure in the past year and a half.

I sat on the couch speaking with Rose about her wedding plans. Having a destination wedding was the one thing they'd decided, although they still hadn't picked a location. Emmett wanted to go to Las Vegas, and Rose's heart was set on Hawaii. I wondered if they would ever marry, since they were stubborn as hell; neither was willing to budge. Secretly, I was on Team Rose.

"He's going to be wrapped around this baby's finger, you know?" Rose added while gently patting my stomach.

I laughed before I answered her. "He already is," I said through my giggles. "Edward rubs coco butter on my belly every night to help with my stretch marks and has a whispered conversation I'm not allowed to be a part of with _his_ baby before bedtime." I rolled my eyes at the phrase _his baby_, because he didn't mean it in a possessive way, only in a loving, caring manner.

"Actually, they're all quite disgusting, really. Each member of my family moves around my stomach like the baby is their sun, and they revolve around it. I don't even know who's more excited." I smiled as I thought about my little family.

Angela sat down next to us. "Well, you're a lucky woman, Bella Cullen, and I don't think I've ever seen you so happy and content… and beautiful. You're skin is radiant."

I blushed. "Thank you, Ang. I'm extremely blessed."

My mom joined in as well. "My Bella's extremely lucky to have found her other half. They're a beautiful couple… so in love. I can't wait to meet my newest grandchild." She sighed and had starry eyes, and I turned back to my friends with a mocking smile. They laughed in response to me rolling my eyes at my mother.

A loud, booming laugh caught my attention, and I looked over to see Edward, Emmett, Jasper, Carlisle and Phil in the kitchen eating and talking loudly. Edward caught my eye and winked at me. They continued their conversation while taking swigs of their beer.

It wasn't long after that when Edward and I were placed in comfortable chairs and asked to begin opening our gifts. Clothes, diapers and wipes, a high chair, stroller and everything else we could imagine were given to us.

Our parents had all gone in together and purchased the nursery's furniture. Somehow they bought the exact crib, dresser and changing table that we'd wanted. The smirk on Edward's face told me he had his hand in that, but I was glad they'd asked him. The mahogany furniture with its rich, dark wood would contrast with the white walls perfectly.

To further set off the room, we had chosen with girls' help, an adorable bumblebee comforter set. Makenna and MC really liked a Winnie the Pooh set, but neither Edward nor I did. When we were walking through a different store, we came across the set and agreed it was just right. The soft yellow color, accented with black borders and the white fabric complimented the rest of the room. Makenna made sure we bought a throw rug for in front of the crib. MC wanted a set of wooden blocks to store the baby's toys in and Edward was adamant about buying the valances for the windows. Since we were only registering for the party, I had to be patient, but I must admit I didn't want to wait for the baby shower before we started to decorate the room.

We had a surprise gift that day as well. I watched as Makenna stood up and walked over to whisper in her grandma's ear. Esme nodded her head and left the room, returned quickly and handed Makenna a large box. She struggled to carry it to us, and Edward leapt up from his seat to help.

They sat it at my feet and she looked up into my eyes.

"This is from me and my Mom. We talked about it a lot, and I helped her pick stuff out. She put it together for me and mailed it to Nana's house. I hope you like it," she said as she looked to Edward for approval.

"Kenni Bear, that's so thoughtful of you. I know we'll love it!" Edward reassured her.

"We had to use frogs since we don't know if the baby is a girl or a boy yet," she added sheepishly.

I laughed. "There better not be any live critters in here, missy," I said teasingly to lighten the mood. "Why don't you help us unwrap it, sweetie?"

Her smile grew, and she sat up taller and tore the paper away. Edward helped us open the box, and MC leaned over to get a better look.

I gasped at what I saw. Jessica had made us the coolest diaper cake I'd ever seen! As Edward pulled the box away, I noticed the frogs were actually tiny washcloths, and the diaper base was wrapped in a bath towel. There were also small essentials like shampoo, pacifiers, nail clippers, a teething ring, a hairbrush and baby booties. On the top was the cutest stuffed frog.

"Makenna, thank you, this is just awesome! It was so nice of you and your Mom to work on this for the baby. I absolutely love it," Edward said sincerely. He leaned over and pulled her onto his lap and kissed her head. Her smile was huge, and she looked around the room at our family.

MC asked her questions, and Makenna pointed out the things she'd chosen. Edward sat up on his knees and kissed his baby then pulled me down into an awkward kiss. It was hard to reach him with this baby belly in the way.

Before the day was over, Mrs. Garrett and Miss Emery, a teacher from my school, had both won prizes for winning a game. Tabitha, one of Makenna's friends from her ballet class was excited to come out ahead in a game, as well. She squealed in delight when she won, causing everyone to laugh at how adorable she was.

I walked in during a conversation between Edward and Alice in the kitchen during my mission to find a third cupcake.

"Honestly Allie, we've talked about it several times, and it's what we want," Edward said sternly.

"Are you sure, Edward? Bella never had the chance to stay home with MC, and I really thought it'd be something she would choose." Alice said quickly.

"He's right, Allie. We decided that I would keep working, and he could cut back his hours. It's not like I can be a part-time Principal, and I _really _love my job. Edward has the flexibility to reduce his hours, so he's going to stay home on Mondays and Fridays, then Esme will watch the baby on the other days," I explained while Edward stood behind me and wrapped his arms around my stomach. He kissed my shoulder, and I melted back into him.

"It's not that I'm questioning your decision, Bella; I just want to make sure it's what you really want," Alice added as she reached for my hand. "You know I'm able to be flexible with my schedule, and Jasper reminded me that he watched MC while you went to college and said he'd be willing to watch this one, too. He's home with Ben and Liam if you ever need a back up person." She reached out and ran her hands around my belly in a giant circle, bumping into Edward's hands and laughing.

"Allie, I'm sure there will be times when we'll need some extra help, so make sure you and Jasper don't change your numbers. You know we'll be calling you… especially in the middle of the night," Edward added jokingly.

"Great! No matter what time you need us, we'll be there," she said excitedly and pulled us both into a group hug.

Hours later as I took another sip out of the cloud-decorated straw, I stood back and watched as everyone carried our gifts to the car. Alice had hosted the most perfect shower for us, and we thanked her over and over again. I'd told her many times throughout our lives that she was the best friend I could've ever had and I made sure to tell her that once more. Edward readily agreed.

The following weekend after the baby shower, we asked Edward's parents to watch the girls while he and I went to one of my therapy appointments with Dr. Gerandy together. I told him I would let him know what we'd talked about, but he was insistent on being a part of the discussion. I saw his point; it affected him as much as it did MC and me.

"Hi, Bella, how're you today?" The doctor greeted me as we walked hand in hand into her office.

I smiled shyly at her and made introductions. "I'm good. I'd like you to meet my husband, Edward. Edward, this is Dr. Gerandy."

They shook hands and then we sat down on the couch.

"It's nice to finally meet the man I've been hearing about for years," she added with a laugh to break the tension.

The three of us spoke openly and honestly about how MC was coping with being a member of a larger family and her desire to be adopted by Edward.

It was hard to admit that I felt like I would be betraying Jake by allowing Edward to adopt her. Other than Alice, only Dr. Gerandy knew about our affair while I was married to Jake and why I didn't want to betray him again.

We were within a few weeks of the baby's birth and wanted to our talk with her before then. That evening we sat down with MC to talk about our decision.

"But…" MC faded off without finishing.

Edward reached over, pulled her onto his lap, and wrapped his arm around her, rubbing her back gently. She sighed and closed her eyes.

"Sweetheart, we're not saying no. All we're saying is that it's a humongous decision for a young lady to make. We talked with Dr. G, and she agrees that you should be a little older before you make this choice. If you think about this for a little while and still want to, I promise that we'll listen and go through with it." Edward looked over to me with tears and pleaded with his eyes to help him.

I brushed my own tears away and spoke with a rough voice. "Baby, Edward loves you and will be your father no matter if you have his last name or not. No one who sees the two of you together could ever doubt how much you love each other. When the time comes and you still want to be adopted, we promise we will make it happen," I added and put my arms around her while we all cried together.

After a few minutes the tears had dried, MC looked up at Edward with a determination I hadn't seen from her during our talk.

"I'm not changing my mind," she said stubbornly.

He smiled and softly said, "I love you, MC."

"I love you, too, Dad."

They hugged and MC kissed his cheek. We watched a movie together until our other daughter came home.

Edward and I spent our time in bed reconnecting after the emotional day and enjoyed the feel of our baby moving inside me. He and I talked about the changes that were coming our way and, after another Braxton Hicks contraction, Edward rubbed the lotion around my stomach to try and ease my discomfort. His touch and loving words helped relax me, and I fell asleep to Edward's whispered conversation with _his baby_.

**~~ E & B ~~**

_**Edward**_

"I'm scared, Edward!" Bella blurted out as soon as I opened the passenger car door. Her face had paled slightly, and she' had a death grip on her seat belt.

The entire ride to the hospital she had seemed calm, excited even, that the day had finally arrived when we would get to meet our baby. Pulling into the entrance of the parking garage earned me a huge smile and a tight squeeze to the hand she was holding. Roughly three minutes later that had all changed.

"Bizzy, I know delivering a baby can't be classified as fun, but it's an exhilarating experience, right? As soon as we get in there and get things started, the sooner we'll meet our Baby Batty." I wanted to calm her nerves, so I tried to convey as much encouragement as I could. My efforts got us nowhere, though, and she stayed frozen in her spot and continued to look at me with frightened eyes. I bent down to become eye level with her then reached to pry her hands free.

"Sweetheart, what's got you nervous all of a sudden?"

"I should never have agreed to be induced, Edward. Let's just go back home and wait for my water to break on its own, just like it did with MC," Bella responded with a slight whine.

"You know we can't do that. Dr. Allan is waiting for us inside. She suggested the induction, because you're past your due date and extremely uncomfortable. Everything has been arranged for us, and the girls are _so_ excited. We can't back out now." I reminded her of the reasons why we were there. "There's nothing to be scared about; the hospital has an excellent staff, and you love Dr. Allan. Plus, I'll be here with you every step of the way. I know I won't be able to take your pain away, but I'll do everything in my power to help you get through it."

Bella bit the corner of her lip, clearly concentrating on what she wanted to say.

"It's just that… last night, someone posted on the baby board how awful their induction was. It took them three days to get her into labor, and in the end she had to have a C-section. Another post I read said the medication they used to get her labor started made the contractions unbearable for her and not even an epidural helped." She paused and I could see her eyes start to glisten with tears. "I don't want to wait three days to go into labor or to be in that much pain. I know I've had a baby before, but I didn't have to be induced, and just process alone scares me, Edward."

Bella started to make sniffling sounds as she got herself worked up. I couldn't fault her for being nervous, and I knew her fears were justified as she was about to birth a child and endure the pain that goes along with that. What bugged me was the reason why she was upset in the first place.

About two weeks ago she had discovered the website, _The Baby Center, _and had become infatuated with communicating with the members of a birth club for expecting moms. She had to consult with these women over everything and felt the need to respond to each post that was made.

Being a doctor, I was well aware that a support group could be beneficial for an expecting mother. I encouraged Bella to seek out whatever she needed from these women when she brought up finding the website. However, she took that statement a little far a time or two when she felt the need to listen to someone named _2peas-n-thepod_ over me – a doctor and her husband. That was when I started to wish she had never found that damn website.

"Bella, every birthing experience is different. Just because those things happened for other women, doesn't necessarily mean they'll happen to you."

She let out a loud breath and wiped her tears away as she tried to put a smile on her face.

"Well, I did read one that said her induction went smoothly and the baby was born in less than six hours," she said with hope in her voice as her skin started to return to its normal shade.

I wanted to stay positive for both of us but didn't give her any false hopes as to what we were in store for. I had learned from the short obstetrical rotation I had done during my residency, babies tend work on their own schedules, even with medical interventions to get the process started.

"I guess we better get in there, so you have your own story to post on the board, huh?" I said with a smirk that caused her to laugh as she pushed herself out of the car with my assistance.

After getting our bag out of the back of the SUV, we walked into the hospital without any further worries from Bella. Every step I took towards the maternity ward made my excitement level increase.

_Today will be the day we get to meet the baby that Bella and I made together._

Admitting her was a short process thanks to us pre-registering during our hospital tour, and before we knew it, Bella was slipping into a hospital bed ready to be hooked up to monitors and IVs. Her nervousness from a short time ago left as soon as the baby's heartbeat filled the air. She looked over at me with a breathtaking smile, making me want to shout from mountaintops that the love of my life was having my baby.

"Not long until we'll get to _see_ the breaths that Batty takes instead of just relying on _hearing_ the heartbeats coming through on the monitor," Bella said with excitedly.

I bent down and placed a soft kiss on her forehead, enjoying the thought of my arms filled with our small baby, swaddled up to keep warm as it inhales its first breaths of air.

Dr. Allan arrived and was pleased to see that Bella had finally started to dilate since her last doctor's visit. It would make the induction process easier. She was confident starting Pitocin and breaking Bella's water would be the best approach to start having contractions.

As soon as the word _Pitocin_ rolled off Dr. Allan's lips, I could see Bella's facial expression change, but she did her best to mask her fear. I asked a few questions in order to get the reassurance I knew she needed. With a plan in place, the doctor left our room with the promise to return later to see how Bella was progressing.

Things started to progress quickly with the dosage of medicine increasing periodicity. As soon as Bella's water was broken, active labor rapidly took over causing her to be extremely uncomfortable.

"You're doing so good, baby. Keep breathing like we practiced and look at me when a contraction hits. We'll get through this, Bizzy." I encouraged her as I rubbed soothing circles on her taut stomach.

I continued to whisper words of love and support while we waited for the anesthesiologist to arrive. Despite knowing that each contraction helped her progress, I hated witnessing my wife endure any amount of pain.

With the epidural administered, pain relief set in, and Bella got some much-needed rest. I slipped out of the room momentarily to give our family an update. Everyone was excited to hear that things were moving along smoothly and swiftly; they were just as excited as we were to meet our newest family member. I gave each of the girls a kiss and returned to the room, not wanting to be away from Bella for too long. After seeing she was still asleep, I was able to catch a short nap myself, allowing the thumps of baby's heartbeat on the monitor to lull me to sleep.

I woke up disoriented from the sounds of voices echoing in the room. I sat up, rubbing my face in an attempt to wake up.

"She just made it to ten centimeters, Daddy. You better get ready for the main event," Dr. Allan addressed me with enthusiasm.

I gave her a nod while I stood up to walk towards Bella's bedside. My mind was overwhelmed with anticipation, as well as some apprehension. In a matter of minutes, I would be a father to three children, fulfilling a small void I had held in my heart for some time. I was finally having a child with my Bella; it was truly a dream come true, and one that I thought would never happen.

"Guess being induced isn't _too_ bad…" she teased with a grin. I couldn't help but return her smile then shook my head as I chuckled.

_The joy of my hormonal wife and her rollercoaster emotions_.

Nurses migrated into the room, setting up a warming station and breaking down Bella's bed to prepare for delivery. For the first time in my career as a doctor, I felt conflicted. I knew what needed to be done; my role that day was to stand by wife's side and be her support system, going against my instincts to rattle off questions as if Bella was my patient.

"Oh, don't forget to give the blood cord kit to Nurse Kim," Bella reminded me, causing me to come back to the moment.

We were fully aware of how diseases like cancer could affect a life, and after reading over some information, we made the easy decision to do it. God forbid something happened in the future, and we wanted to give our child every possible resource available, starting with the option of their own stem cells.

I pushed any negative thoughts out of my mind as I handed over the kit that was sent to us from Viacord. It was not the time to dwell on how we had firsthand knowledge of the importance of this procedure; it was the time to think positively as we welcomed our child into the world.

"It's time to get to work now, woman," I teased my wife to keep the air in room light, while the nurses finished up their preparations. My lame attempt at a joke seemed to take Bella's mind off what was about to happen. She made sure to inform me of exactly how I would be paying for all the _work _she had to do that day. Bella was under the impression that my job was easy; hold her hand, give her ice chips and be eye candy for the nurses. Even though I thought my wife was being uncharacteristically dramatic, I gladly promised her the world as her so called payment.

Bella ended up being an excellent patient after all of her worrying. She was focused on the task at hand, listened to the nurse's directions, and breezed through with what appeared to be minimal effort.

I, on the other hand, was a nervous wreck. I kept my breathing calm as I counted down for Bella, but when I heard our daughter's first cry, I lost it, letting my own tears fall freely.

My hand let go of Bella's as the baby was gently placed on her chest. I reached out to touch her, and allowed the warmth of her tiny body to confirm that she was real. This wasn't some twisted dream that disappeared when I woke up; it was reality. Our precious daughter had fulfilled that wish in a matter of minutes.

"She's so beautiful," I managed to choke out through my tears.

Bella looked up at me through her own tears and said words that made my heart flutter further, "Of course she is. She looks just like her daddy."

Our poor baby had a head full of copper hair, and I had no doubt as soon as she was cleaned up it would be standing up in every direction. Her facial features were the perfect mix of both of us but, Bella was right, she looked more like me.

"So does this sweet angel already have a name chosen for her?" Nurse Kim asked as she reached over to pick up the baby in order to get her cleaned up and dressed.

"Rylee Belle Cullen," Bella answered her with a sigh of contentment and a bright smile on her face.

"That's a beautiful name for a gorgeous little girl. Let's see how much she weighs, so we can get her back to mommy," the nurse responded and went to work on getting Rylee's measurements.

Dr. Allan finished with Bella and made sure she was comfortable before congratulating us one last time and leaving the room. I looked down at my wife, the mother of my children, with more love and admiration than I ever thought my body could hold. I was completely in awe of her. I thanked Bella numerous times for taking care of our baby for the past ten months.

Rylee was placed back in Bella's arms, and we took a moment to watch our sleeping daughter. She was perfect from head to toe and more gorgeous than I could've ever imagined.

"Want to hold your daughter?" Bella asked as she started to extend her arms, knowing there was no way I would say no.

On June eighteenth, two days before my own birthday, I pulled little Rylee Belle to my chest. I looked down at her and memorized every detail of her face as I declared my love to her. I couldn't have asked for a more perfect gift.

I knew we had a waiting room full of people expecting to hear the joyous news of her arrival, so I reluctantly handed her back to Bella. I gave them both one more kiss, and then made my way out to greet our family.

As I rounded the corner I could see the girls sitting in the chairs closest to me. Makenna was nose deep in a book, and MC was playing her Nintendo DS. My parents, Alice, and Emmett sat across from them lost in conversation.

When I came into view, my mom jumped up out of her seat, causing both girls to follow her lead. Everyone looked at me with pleading eyes, desperately wanting to hear the news I was there to proudly announce.

I reached the girls and bent down. "Who's ready to meet their baby… _sister_?" I asked nonchalantly, trying to hold back my chuckles as squeals erupted from my mom and Alice.

Makenna started to jump up and down, stating she knew it was a girl all along and causing everyone to laugh at her excitement. MC pretended to be disappointed that she had guessed wrong as her hands automatically went to her hips as she let out a huff. The gleam in her eyes and beaming smile on her face told a different story.

Everyone hugged me and gave their congratulations, asking countless questions about what Rylee looked like. I took the camera out of my pocket and showed off a couple pictures to pacify them until they got a chance to see her.

The sensation of someone tugging on my hand caused me to stop my conversation, and when I looked down I could see MC trying to coax me towards the maternity wing.

"Let's go, Dad, because I want to meet my baby sister," MC stated impatiently.

I explained to everyone else we wanted the girls to have a couple of minutes with Rylee. Everyone understood and said they'd join us shortly, giving us the time we wanted to bond as a family.

Just as we entered the hallway that led to Bella's room, MC tugged at my hand again.

"Next time you better make sure we get a baby brother," she demanded causing me to laugh out loud. MC was already thinking of _next time_ when she really had no idea just what she was in for with a baby in the house.

Just as we expected, both girls were enamored with their sister. Makenna did hold Rylee first but was quick to share her with MC. They both sat in an oversized rocking chair together, with Rylee between them, stating all the things they wanted to teach her.

I looked over to Bella and could see the love radiating from her as she watched her girls accept their sister with open arms.

"We have amazing daughters, Bizzy," I whispered knowing the truth behind my words. Bella agreed with a nod and reached out for me, needing my touch.

I sat down on the edge of her bed holding her tightly as our family entered the room. Each person had a chance to cradle Rylee and pepper her tiny face with kisses. At one point, we had a nurse take a picture of all of us together in order to capture the day that changed each of our lives for the better. It was another new beginning for us.

Bella stayed in the hospital for two days and recuperated nicely. Since it was summer and the girls were out of school, Renee decided to come to Seattle to meet her granddaughter and to help entertain the girls for a couple of weeks. It allowed me time to bond with Rylee, and I took care of my wife's needs during the short leave of absence I took from work.

When my vacation came to an end, I hated to leave all my girls, but I knew it would only be a couple of months until I started a new schedule where I worked three days a week. I was looking forward to my time at home with them on the other two days, while Bella went back to work fulltime.

We had a long discussion a few months ago to decide what arrangement would work best for our family. I had the flexibility to set up my own hours where she didn't. Bella felt the need to return to her job when the school year started in September, and I completely supported her decision. We were blessed to have my mom available to watch Rylee on the days I was working, as well as, keeping Makenna and MC after school. It left us worry free as to where our daughters would be while we tended to our work obligations. Bella and I knew our daughters would always be surrounded by love from their Nana.

The night before I returned to work I went through my new routine as I rocked a fussy Rylee to sleep in her nursery, in order to allow Bella to sleep in between feedings.

"I have to go back to work tomorrow, sweet girl. You be a good girl for your momma and let her take a nap, all right? Daddy will be home as fast as I can and make sure I'm here for your bath. Your crazy sisters can fill me in on all the silly things they did with you." I spoke softly watching her eyes start to droop.

I had found that despite my exhaustion, I had come to be rather found of our special time together. It gave me a chance to have Rylee all to myself, without battling the girls or Bella to hold her.

I made sure to convey to Rylee a different hope I held for her each night. I explained I would always be there to help her achieve whatever goal she set for herself, just like her Grandpa Carlisle did for me.

"Goodnight, my baby girl. I love you to the moon and back," I whispered as I tried to keep my eyes open, not wanting our time to end. The slow gliding of the chair and feeling of my baby girl in my arms relaxed me, making the task nearly impossible.

Rylee completed me and strengthened my bond with Bella more than I ever thought possible. Together, we would face everything life brought our way. We would watch our children continue to grow up and make their own life someday.

Bella and I had learned over time to never take our marriage or family for granted, because we knew life was precious. We both understood that unexpected events would happen, and as long as we supported each other, we would take whatever was thrown at us and get through it together. She was all I had ever wanted and continued to be everything I needed.

I knew being married to Bella was my fate when I was sixteen, but I brushed her off due to adolescent stupidity and poor judgment. I was certain that a year and a half ago I would never make that same mistake again. Bella allowed me to be a part of her life, when I knew I didn't deserve another chance. However, every time I looked into Rylee's eyes I would be reminded of the truth; her mom was everything to me and always had been.

Bella and I were finally in a place in our lives where we always knew we were destined to be, and neither of us had any regrets about taking the long road to get us there.

The third time really was _our _charm!

**A/N: Team Makenna all the way! **_**Woot!**_** Not one person was on Team Makenna and she was very sad about that fact. One of you mentioned Bella needed a little Edward, haven't you all figured out by now she gets **_**some**_** Edward all the time. *wink wink***

**PhotoBucket has been updated... Baby Batty is beautiful!**

**This was the last regular chapter. The epilogue will post next Saturday.**

**Put us on Author's Alert because we have some things we've been working on that we'll start posting soon, along with a new story early next year. Don't forget we'll post any E & B outtakes here as well.**

_**We fucking love cupcakes, and thank the angel who bakes them. =)**_

**Thanks for reading! If you have the time, please review and we'll send you an epi teaser.**


	30. Epilogue  Endless Love

**Thank ****you ****to ****our ****beta ****LZTZ, ****and ****prereader ****tanglingshadows, ****for ****their ****help ****and ****support ****over ****the ****past ****year!**

**Disclaimer: We don't own Twilight, but it owns us.**

**Chapter ****30 ****(Epilogue)**** – ****Endless ****Love**

_**Bella**_

"But that's _so_ not fair!"

I took a deep breath to calm myself before I spoke. I didn't want to say something I'd regret later.

"Please, tell me again how that's not fair?" I asked in a surprisingly normal tone of voice.

"Because I wanted to hang out with Samantha, but you made me come to the zoo, Bella. Her mom said I was allowed over and that I could even go swimming in their pool. Now I'm stuck here _for __life_, apparently," Makenna huffed dramatically.

There were days I just wanted to crawl into a hole, and it seemed like I was in the middle of one of them. I looked down into the beautiful green eyes that once held the same amount of love for me as mine did for her. That changed around a year ago when Mother Nature began to wreak havoc on her body. The beginning of her menstrual cycles marked the end of her pleasantries towards her family. I discovered that having a teenage daughter really sucked most days. Thirteen years olds were certainly grouchy, moody, and selfish.

"Makenna Cullen, you might want to stop yourself right there before you have your phone taken away for an entire week this time." I looked at Rylee to make sure she was still close by. "It's your sister's birthday,, and I really don't care if Samantha's mom invited you over. You were already told by your father that you needed to be at her party and that's not going to change. She looks up to you as a role model and hangs onto your every word. Do you really want to hurt her feelings like that?" I pleaded with her to drop it. It didn't really matter how she responded, because we weren't changing our minds. Family time was more important that anything else.

I looked around again for Edward, but still wasn't back. I wished he were there to set her straight, because I was really losing my patience. Somehow, I had more luck keeping hundreds of teenagers in check as a principal in a middle school than I did with one at home.

Well, two if you wanted to count MC. She was nothing like Makenna; they had developed more differences than similarities over the last four years. Although they were still very close and hung out a lot, MC had thrown herself into sports and was very athletic. School wasn't at the top of her priority list, but she maintained acceptable grades. We had many discussions with her about putting as much effort into learning as she did kicking a soccer ball into the goal but, as the saying goes, _you __can __lead __a __horse __to __water, __but __you __can__'__t __make __it __care __about __Algebra, _or something like that.

Makenna still loved to dance as much as she did several years back, but her main passions were hanging out at the mall, occasionally shopping with Alice, texting her friends, and updating her Facebook status.

_A typical teenager. _

The girl who stood before me was a ferocious reader and sat at the top of her class academically without putting forth much effort. Makenna was very smart, just like her dad, still on the shy side, and most days was the girl I remembered who pretended she didn't like hot chocolate because it was chunky.

_I __miss __those __innocent __days._

There were times when our family dynamic felt the same as when we were first building our future together, but just as expected, we'd evolved over the years and had to work through some growing pains.

If adolescent hormones were our biggest worry, then we had a great life.

We still lived in our house in Kirkland, and the girls had adjusted well to their school. There were times when we had so many kids running around our house we felt like we were that family from Arkansas on _69 Kids & Counting_: Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar. Our home was never quiet, and between children that ran amuck to raising a baby, it seemed we were always on the go.

The addition of Rylee wasn't the biggest change we'd had. Two years after our discussion with MC about adoption, she asked again, and we felt the time was right. It wasn't a fast process and at times we became frustrated and anxious, but it was well worth our effort. MC became the very proud _Mary Claire Black-Cullen_, and Edward was busting at the seams with happiness.

He still enjoyed working in the research department at Seattle General and staying home with our children the other days. I continued in my position at the middle school, and overall, I would say we had the life we'd always dreamed about.

"No, I don't want to upset her." Makenna turned to walk over towards where MC was holding Rylee's hand when I heard my name being called.

"Bella Swan?" I heard it again as I looked around to find its source.

I laughed as I saw who it was. "Mrs. Cope!" I hugged her. "It's great to see you. How have you been?"

Mrs. Cope worked in the Attendance Office at Forks High School where Edward and I'd graduated. She had gotten us out of trouble many times for skipping classes and once for skipping school altogether.

"I'm doing great, little Bella Swan," she said excitedly with a huge watery smile.

"Well, actually, I'm Bella Cullen now." I looked around to make sure the girls were okay and tried to see if Edward was on his way back yet.

"Cullen, huh? As in you married Edward? I always knew you kids would get married some day. How's he doing and is he here with you? Oh, I'd love to see him again!" She clapped her hands and turned to look in several locations to spot him.

"Yes, I'm married to Edward, and he's around here somewhere. He should be back any minute."

"Momma?" I heard my sweet daughter call out.

"Hey, sweet girl, are you having fun?" I smiled. She had inherited Edward's reddish-brown, unruly hair, and her features reminded me so much of her older sisters, but her deep brown eyes mirrored my own.

"I'm having a lot of fun, but MC said that you and Daddy wanted me to live with the monkeys. I don't want to live at the zoo alone," she rushed out.

I turned my head to look down at a smiling MC and Makenna. They were up to no good. _Again._

"Ry, you're not moving in with the monkeys, but if your sisters aren't careful, _they_ may be," I stated firmly as the girls walked over to join us.

"Oh, Bella they're all so beautiful! So, you and Edward have three daughters?" Mrs. Cope questioned, and I thought back to the days when her statement was true.

Rose and Emmett had finally set a date to marry about three years ago. To the delight of everyone, they had chosen to get married in Hawaii. Their wedding turned into a much-needed family vacation for all of us. Only their closest friends and family were invited to the small beach ceremony.

Chairs covered in white fabric with turquoise ties stood on either side of the brightly colored, flower petal-lined aisle. A tall archway covered by bright yellow and pink island flowers decorated the altar. It was simple and beautiful and perfect for them.

Rylee was almost two years old at the time and their flower girl. She smiled and walked down the aisle until she spotted her daddy standing with Emmett and Jasper. The groomsmen were dressed in black tuxes with ties that matched my and Alice's teal cocktail dresses. Rylee dropped her basket full of petals and ran into Edward's opened arms and refused to leave him. He stood proudly and held her close throughout the ceremony as the laughter died down.

We shared loving glances with each other as we remembered the day he had both proposed and married me on the yacht. _The __best __day __of __our __lives..._ Our love and passion for the other had grown by leaps and bounds since our own wedding day.

The evening of their reception was spectacular and the weather was perfect. The breeze caused the candles in the luminaries to flicker and provided a romantic atmosphere. We danced and spoke with the other guests, all while fighting our desire to return to our rental condo, put the children to bed, and then relive our own honeymoon.

As a family we enjoyed the sights and sounds of the islands. We spent our days at the beach and exploring tourist attractions. Esme and Carlisle even kept the girls one night, so Edward and I could go on a date together.

He had been secretive and worked with the concierge to pack us a lunch to take to a remote, secluded area of the island. I was surprised when we walked out front to find a motorcycle waiting for us.

After applying some strawberry lip gloss, I sat behind Edward with our supplies in a back pack. We rode around the island for hours, stopping randomly here and there, until we found the area that had been recommended to us. It sat on cliff overlooking the ocean and was surrounded by palm trees. We parked the bike nearby and spread the blanket out and ate our lunch while we talked and kissed between bites. My eyes flicked to the motorcycle periodically, and I caught the look of desire simmering in his eyes as well.

I reached for his hand, and when our skin touched all thoughts of our scattered lunch and mess were forgotten.

Our clothes dropped to the ground around us as we pulled them from our bodies and tossed them without thought. Edward and I reconnected our bodies and souls to one another, using the motorcycle for support and inspiration. We tried every position we could imagine. A few positions were too awkward to work for us, while others connected us deeper than ever.

_Edward __sitting __on __the __seat __with __my __legs __wrapped __his __waist __while __I __moved __above __him._

_He took me from behind while I braced my hands on the leather seat in front of me._

_I __rode __Edward __as __he __sat __on __the __ground __leaning __against __a __palm __tree __with __my __back __to __his __chest, __both __of __us __looking __over __the __ocean __while __we __cried __out __our __releases._

I giggled as I noticed my bra was hanging from the handlebar, dangling in the wind as we cleaned ourselves up and prepared to go back to the real world. Edward's words about stopped my heart.

"Oh shit!"

I smiled at the memory of the best accident we ever had.

"Yes, we have three daughters. Girls, this is Mrs. Cope. She worked at the high school your dad and I attended," I said with a blush, remembering the time we skipped school and had sex all morning.

"Hi," they said in greeting.

"This is our oldest daughter, Makenna. She just turned thirteen last month," I pulled Makenna close to me and hugged her. No matter how much we disagreed at times, she was special to me and my love for her was limitless.

I reached over and took MC's hand. "And this is Mary Claire, who we call MC. She's twelve." I squeezed her hand to show her my love.

"The little red-haired girl here-"

"Who reminds me so much of Edward," Mrs. Cope added.

"Yes, she looks just like her daddy. I'd like you to meet our four year old daughter, Rylee, who's celebrating her birthday today." I smiled down at her and placed a kiss on her braided hair which Edward styled earlier in the morning.

"You have a beautiful family, Bella. It's wonderful to meet everyone."

She was right. We had a beautiful family, and I was so proud Edward and I overcame our differences and put the past behind us to create the perfect life. Not that we didn't have our disagreements and tough times, but as long as we were together, it was perfect.

I saw Edward walking back looking at Mrs. Cope with a smile on his face. His lips had a splattering of ice cream on them and I knew why it took him so long to return.

"Mrs. Cope, here's Edward now."

She turned her head and her smile grew as she took in the sight before her.

"Edward, I just got finished introducing the girls if you want to introduce our son."

**~~ E & B ~~**

_**Edward**_

"Hey, Mrs. C! Long time, no see!" I greeted the woman, whom I considered to be a saint for getting me out of countless detentions all those years ago. Then I proudly introduced our boy. "This little man hiding behind me is Brady; he's almost two."

"Hi, Edward, and hello, little Brady," she addressed us with a smile as her eyes roamed over my family. "I was just telling Bella you have beautiful children. Your daughters resemble both of you so much, but your son is a spitting image of you, Bella."

I couldn't help but chuckle at Mrs. Cope's comment. We had several people tell us throughout the years that the girls looked like each of us when we knew that was not possible. We overlooked the technical reasons why they couldn't and just agreed with whomever made the comment. Bella and I knew that even though MC and I didn't share any features and Makenna looked more like her mother than she did Bella, the girls were _our_ daughters despite genetics. Rylee, on the other hand, slightly resembled me more, while Brady looked like a miniature Bella and his Grandpa Charlie.

Before having Rylee, we planned on having a fourth child. After her arrival, and dealing with the struggles of keeping up with three kids, two of which were preteens, we decided that we were content with the size of our family. Fate and a broken condom had reminded us that what was meant to be would always happen.

Two months after our family vacation to Hawaii, we discovered we were having the fourth child we once dreamed about. Unlike when Bella was pregnant with Rylee when her symptoms were as clear as day, there were no indications she was expecting again.

I had come home from work to find Bella sitting in the office, staring out of the window clearly lost in thought. I stood in the doorway for couple minutes watching my wife, and even though I couldn't see into her eyes, I could tell something was bothering her.

"Bella, I'm home," I called out softly, not wanting to startle her.

As soon as she swiveled the chair towards me and I got a glimpse into her eyes, I was certain that there was something wrong.

"Hey, Edward. How was work?" she responded in a monotone voice.

"It was busy, but how was your day, baby?" I asked pushing off the doorframe to enter the room, needing to be closer to her.

I took a seat in the chair we had nestled in the cove of the bay window and patted my thighs, gesturing for her to sit with me.

Bella didn't move from her spot behind the desk right away but eventually got up to join me. As soon as I felt the weight of her body in my lap, I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her closer to me. Bella scooted down, placed her head into the crook of my neck, and sighed with contentment as she found a comfortable spot.

"You okay? It seems like something's bothering you." I inquired softly. I was ready to hear whatever kept Bella's lively personality at bay.

She stayed silent, slowly running her fingers down my silk tie for a distraction.

"Bella, what is it? You're starting to make me nervous." I tried to keep my voice calm as every horrible scenario ran through my head.

_She __had __a __doctor__'__s __appointment __today. __Was __something __seriously __wrong __with __her?_

_Did something happen to one of the girls? _

_Or did something happen to one of her students?_

"Everything is _not _okay, Edward. I… I'm... pregnant!" Bella announced in between sniffles and tears seeping into my shirt.

Despite the many conversations we had in regards to not wanting any additional children, the moment my brain digested what Bella had told me, I became ecstatic.

"A baby!" I stated loudly and instantly felt all the nervous tension leave my body.

_This was the best fucking news!_

"I'm so sorry, Edward," Bella choked out an unnecessary apology through her tears. "I know this isn't what we hoped would happen. I really thought we were in the clear after I got my period last month." She bowed her head, breaking the connection between us.

I tilted it back up to look at me and then brushed her tears away before placing a chaste kiss on her lips. Repeating my statement each time our lips connected before I corrected her misunderstanding that I was upset about this development. _A__baby.__A__baby.__A__baby._ Over and over again.

"I can't wait to see the girls' faces when we tell them they're getting a little brother!" I said with excitement. A laugh followed on its own account, as I thought back to the day Rylee was born, and MC told me to make sure our next child was a boy. _I__'__ll __be __getting __some __brownie __points __with __her._

Sure, I may have been getting ahead of myself, declaring what our baby's gender would be within minutes of hearing about its existence, but in my heart I already knew we were having a son.

"What! Are you happy about this?" Bella questioned me, looking shocked and relieved all at the same time.

All I could do was look into my beautiful wife's teary eyes, allowing my mind to envision the child growing in her stomach. The very one that would really complete us, making us a family of six.

_Holy __shit! __We__'__re __going __to __have __four __kids!_

Bella snickered at my outburst. I didn't realize I'd spoken out loud.

"Umm… it appears so. You seem to be okay with this, but you never answered my question," she stated in a tentative tone.

"Hell yes! I'm okay with you being pregnant but thrilled would be a better way to describe it." I smiled at my wife and allowed her to see the certainty written all over my face.

"I know a baby is going to be a lot work, Bizzy, but we can do this!" I explained with even more excitement than I had moments before.

It was true; we could handle a fourth child or anything else thrown on our plate. Bella and I were a great team, especially when it came to parenting our children. Having one more would just add to the love and excitement our house was already bursting with.

After continuing to snuggle for awhile and discussing how we wanted to handle breaking our news to the rest of the family, we got out of the chair feeling lighthearted. Within the span of an hour, we had come to terms that the path we thought we were on wasn't what was in store for us any longer. Our discussion made us realize we were both excited for the new adventures that lay ahead of us after all.

Just as I was about to go retrieve the girls from my parent's house, Bella called out to me.

"Edward, do you really think it's a boy?" she probed hopefully.

My face lit up at the sight of her expression and how she was trying to keep a composed tone. I placed my palm on her belly and smiled. "Mark my word, Isabella, we're having a son!" I beamed at her without any hesitation.

Eight months later, we found out I was correct.

Brady Charles Cullen was welcomed into our family by two loving parents and three doting sisters who were instantly at his beck and call. As soon as he could walk, we discovered his love of the outdoors, just like the man he was named after. Charlie would have been enamored with his granddaughters, but Brady would have been his pride and joy, the son he never had. Bella and Renee had made peace with his death over the years, but I knew having Brady around made them both feel like he was a part of our everyday lives once again.

_Brady i__s __the __piece __we __never __realized __was missing__._

"I guess I better get back to my family," Mrs. Cope announced, bringing me out of my thoughts. "It was great to see you again, Bella and Edward. Enjoy as much time as you can with your family now. Kids grow up way too quickly."

She was right. When I wanted time to slow down, it seemed to speed up impossibly faster.

Bella and I gave her a warm hug, saying our goodbyes before turning back to the kids to see what exhibit they wanted to visit next.

A brilliant idea came to mind as the girls bickered about what direction to go.

"Hey, little man. Tell Momma what animal you want to go see next." I encouraged my son with a devious smile on my face.

_Bella is going to love this!_

"ROARRRRR!" Brady shouted out as loud as his little body could accommodate, drawing attention to all of us.

The girls started laughing while Bella's eyes widen at our son as he continued to act like a lion. Brady even one up'd my impersonations by pretending to claw at his sisters.

"Edward Cullen, did you really have to teach him that?" Bella asked trying to hold back her laugher. She knew my intentions were not as pure as they appeared.

"Of course I did, babe. Don't you want our son to learn what sounds animals make? He'll be ahead of the class when he goes to preschool in a couple of years." I remarked, attempting to sound innocent and failing. I tried to keep a serious tone with her, even though I was lying through my teeth about why I taught him that.

"Plus, one day maybe it will help him score some hot chick… like it did for his dad," I added with a wink before laugher shook my body.

Bella's smile faded as it was replaced with a frown and narrowed eyes. She grumbled under her breath that her baby boy wouldn't be picking up any girls until he was forty.

_Pay__back __is __a __bitch, __my __beautiful __wife, __and __your __time __to __pay __up __has __come._

Bella threw it in my face every chance she could get that I would be dealing with three sets of boyfriends over the coming years. She liked to bring up the fact I would have to walk three girls down the aisle to some undeserving loser that would never be good enough for my daughters. I would gladly remind her of the Cullen charm as often as I could. It was passed down through the men in our family, and her sweet, innocent, baby boy would be using that charisma one day for himself.

"Let's go see these lions before you corrupt my baby boy any more today," she declared, and then reached to pick up Brady to place him in his stroller while I walked over to scoop Rylee off the bench she was patiently sitting on. I kissed my birthday girl on the forehead, and we were on our way.

Over the past five years my entire world had changed and for the better. I was a shell of a man, desperately trying to be the best person I could be for Makenna's sake. Bella was my savior; she made me whole and loved me the way I craved, because only she knew what I needed all along.

Reuniting and joining our lives was an enormous step, but it was one that Bella and I were thankful we'd taken every single day. We found the courage to put ourselves out there, despite a broken past, and in return, we became whole once again. Our daughters had experienced love at first sight with each other. They were sisters in every way that counted, and their bond was inseparable. Rylee and Brady were the links that joined all of us together and, as a family, we knew it would be the six of us until the end of time.

Bella and I were living proof that it didn't matter where your story began; it only mattered where it ended.

Our ending was exactly how it was always meant to be…

_Together._

**A/N: ****And ****the ****much ****demanded, ****motorcycle-sex-****conceived, ****baby ****boy ****makes ****six!**

_*jadsmama __and __ladysharkey1 __hug __each __other __tightly, __and __then __walk __towards __the __microphone __together*_

**ladysharkey1: **Good morning, sweet readers! Can you believe we made it?

_*jadsmama __pulls __our __speech __out __of __her __sexy, __black __bra*_

**jadsmama: **We'd like to thank the Academy for…_err_… I mean, we'd like to thank Stephenie Meyer for, um, creating the wonderful world of Twilight! Also, without Google, we wouldn't have known about Beer Darts, personalized M&M's, the Cherry Blossom B&B, Harley Soft tail motorcycles, The Tiki restaurant in Phoenix, or the countless pictures we used for our writing inspiration –

_*taps jadsmama on the shoulder*_

**ladysharkey1: **Um, Rhomama, shouldn't we thank Laura, Katie, Jess and James before we thank the Google search engine? And thank Heatherdawn again for our _fuckawesome _story banner?

**jadsmama: **Hello! _*epic __eye __roll*_ Without Google we wouldn't have had a story. And while we're at it, don't ya think we should thank iCarly and Starbucks too? Duh!

_*ladysharkey1 __is __distracted __by __thoughts __of __her __favorite __White __Chocolate __Mocha __from __Starbucks*_

**jadsmama: **Thanks to Jake for agreeing to die for a worthy cause. Maybe we won't kill you off in the next story. _*crosses__fingers*_ Oh, thanks to Charlie, too.

**ladysharkey1: **_*laughs __about __killing __Jake* _Oh ya, don't forget to put us on Author's Alert. We have some stuff planned that you may not want to miss out on.

**jadsmama: **Just so ya know, we decided to join The Fandom Gives Back fund-raiser for the Alex's Lemonade Stand. We will have an outtake of MC's adoption included in the compilation. You can donate on their blog. It will be posted here in the future, along with any other outtakes we write.

**ladysharkey1: **We really want to thank all of you for joining us every Saturday since we began posting back on April 1st. Whether you just read along, recommended us to your friends, Re-tweeted our links, or reviewed once or for every chapter, you made every second worth our while.

**jadsmama:** Thank you to our wonderful, totally independent, non-interrupting, perfectly patient, always self reliant, children for allowing their moms some time to themselves once in a while. We included their names as characters within the story as well. We couldn't leave them out, right?

**ladysharkey:** PhotoBucket has been updated (a total of 179 pictures!). Wait until you see how cute Brady is! He's a keeper, for sure. =)

**On ****a ****serious ****note, ****we****'****re ****really ****emotional ****about ****ending ****this ****story. ****It ****has ****literally ****taken ****us ****over ****a ****year ****from ****when ****we ****began ****writing ****our ****first ****outline ****(of ****35 ****versions!) ****until ****posting ****the ****epilogue ****today. ****We****'d ****spent ****hundreds ****of ****hours ****combined ****working ****on ****Endings ****& ****Beginnings. ****Please ****take ****a ****few ****minutes ****to ****leave ****us ****your ****final ****thoughts. Reviews made us giddy, but also made us grow as writers. Feedback is priceless!**

******_Every story has an end but in life, every end is just a new beginning._ ~ Author unknown**

******THANK YOU!**


	31. The Making of MC BlackCullen

_**This outtake was donated to the Fandom Gives Back, Breaking Dawn: Part 1 compilation, which raised over $250,000 (!) for Alex's Lemonade Stand. 'Tis the season for giving! Wow!**_

_**Thank you to LZTZ and Jessypt for beta'ing this outtake, and our prereader, tanglingshadows! We say it all the time, but we love you all so much. Also, a huge thank you to HeatherDawn for making us another wonderful banner. We'll post it on our profile soon.**_

_**Adoption is a wonderful, worthwhile adventure...**_

_**Disclaimer: We don't own Twilight, but it owns us.**_

* * *

_**The Making of Mary Claire Black-Cullen**_

_**Bella**_

I waddled into the living room, and I saw the concerned look on Edward's face as he held a flushed Rylee against his chest. Our toddler was lying with her little face against him, her knees straddling his waist. She was dressed in her favorite pink penguin pajamas. He slowly ran his fingers through her messy hair, from the top of her head to the ends. His eyes opened, and he looked at me sadly, concern dominating his appearance.

"How's she doing?" I asked as I plopped down next to him as gracefully as I could these days, tucking my feet underneath me. I immediately put my hand on her warm forehead before I leaned in and gently kissed her nose.

"Her fever's almost gone, but she's still a little out of it. I can hear how congested she is, but I'm sure the medicine is starting to help. Her ears don't seem to bother her as badly while she's sitting up, but she tugs at them if I lay her down." He continued playing with her hand and leaned over to kiss my lips.

Even though my husband was a doctor, at that moment, he was just a worried daddy who would do anything to make his daughter feel better. "That must mean you've been holding her all day, then, right?" I teased.

"What else would I do?" He forced a smile and reached down to rub along my pregnant belly.

_Our son._

I matched his sad grin.

Just like every mother throughout history, I hated when my children were sick. Makenna and MC both had colds last week, but it seemed their little sister got the worst of it. She had an upper respiratory tract infection, and both of her ears were infected. It had been two days since Edward had taken Rylee to her pediatrician and began her antibiotic. He had stayed with her each day, so I could go into work, much to the chagrin of her grandma. Esme insisted she knew how to care for a sick child, but we thought it best for Rylee to stay home.

"You're looking a little tired today. Isn't my son being nice to his momma?" Edward asked when he felt the nudges as the baby moved. Just like during Rylee's pregnancy, no one knew what we were having except for us. The girls had placed the same bets as before. MC would be the winner, but she didn't have a clue.

A few weeks earlier, we had moved Rylee from the nursery next to our bedroom into her _big__girl_ room. The first few nights were a little rough, because she wanted us to stay with her all night. We found she fell asleep quickly after reading her few stories and didn't wake until morning. I hated knowing my baby girl was growing up, but unfortunately, there was no way to stop time.

The nursery was freshly painted and ready to welcome the new baby. My nesting instincts didn't wreak havoc this time around. I'd felt much more relaxed and calm, much to the enjoyment of my family.

"He thinks my bladder is a trampoline, and my back has been really achy today," I whined quietly, so I wouldn't disturb our daughter. She looked so peaceful while she slept. I smiled at how much she resembled her father. They were both so beautiful, inside and out.

"Once we get this one settled in bed, we'll take a long, relaxing shower, and I'll give you another massage. You don't have too much longer, babe. Are you still planning on working until the end?" he asked as he tucked Rylee's hair behind her ear.

If Edward had his way, the day I told him I was pregnant again would've been the last day I worked…ever. He worried about me becoming stressed and overly tired. We already had two pre-teens and a one year old to take care of, so some days I agreed with his reasoning. Fortunately, those days were far and few in between. I truly loved my job, and I didn't plan to give it up for years to come. Edward reluctantly understood my feelings and supported my decision to continue working.

It was spring, and just like every year, my students were preparing for the state proficiency tests they would take in a few short weeks. The staff was working hard, even volunteering to stay after school hours to offer tutoring to students seeking additional help. Although it was a challenge, we tried hard to make our preparations as fun as we could. Historical test scores had consistently proven stressed out children didn't succeed as well as confident ones.

Makenna and MC were going through the same preparations at their school. Makenna was in middle school, and MC would be next year. MC enjoyed school and hanging out with her friends, but moving from elementary school had been a hard adjustment for Makenna. She had a quiet, passive side to her, and a couple of students used it as a target to use to pick on her. Edward and I spoke with her teachers and the principal, but it was hard to stop the behavior without solid proof.

We didn't like knowing what Makenna was enduring day after day but found a little humor in MC's reaction to the situation. She had wanted to defend her older sister by going with her to school and protecting her at all costs, including talking to the bullies about their _rude_ behavior. Makenna rolled her eyes and said it wouldn't do any good, but I could see the longing in her eyes. Having MC by her side would have done wonders for Makenna's self confidence; no one would pick on her while strong-willed, athletic MC was around.

The two bratty girls continued to call Makenna names and one day purposefully bumped into her in the hallway, knocking her books out of her arms while other students watched on in horror. Luckily for us, and unknown to the students that day, the hallways were being monitored, and the cruel act was caught on the security cameras. The guilty students were suspended, and their bullying finally stopped when they were allowed back at school.

A noise from the doorway caught my attention, and my eyes focused on the clasped hands of my oldest daughters. MC cautiously looked up into Makenna's eyes, who nodded in subtle encouragement. Taking a deep breath, MC walked into the room with Makenna trailing closely behind.

"How's Ry feeling?" Makenna asked quietly as she reached out with her free hand to rub her sleeping sister's back.

Edward looked up and responded, "I think she's feeling much better. She'll probably be back to chasing after you girls soon." He leaned down to kiss Rylee's head.

"Is her fever gone? She still feels really hot to me," Makenna stated with worry, still holding MC's hand.

"Yes, your dad gave her some more Tylenol a while ago, and it seems to be working," I said as I glanced up at an unusually quiet MC. It worried me when she stayed quiet, because I'd learned over the years it meant she had something serious on her mind.

Edward and Makenna continued talking about Rylee's illness, and finally, MC spoke.

"Hey, Dad, can I ask you a question?" she whispered. I watched as Makenna squeezed her hand in support.

"Sure, what's up, buttercup?" Edward asked while he tried to sound casual, but I could sense the curiosity and worry in his tone.

A fidgeting MC remained quiet while she gathered her thoughts, and I could tell Makenna was becoming impatient. I had no clue what they were up to, and the suspense was killing me.

"Dad, MC has an important question to ask." She turned towards MC. "Don't ya?" she prompted.

Looking up into Makenna's eyes for strength, MC turned her head and said, "Do you remember when you told me if I wanted to be adopted you would say yes if I asked again?"

My eyes quickly moved from her to Edward as heard him suck in a breath. I knew someday we'd revisit that conversation, but I never imagined it would be a day when we were huddled around a sick child. In my dreams, I saw us at the park or zoo, laughing and enjoying our time as a family. I could picture MC running through a field of flowers and jumping into Edward's strong arms and then hear them expressing their love to one another with MC pleading to become his official daughter and him excitedly agreeing.

_Things happen differently in your dreams, I suppose._

Edward slowly lifted his eyes to her worried ones and softly said, "Yes, I remember." He released his breath. "What's on your mind, sweetheart?" He turned towards me and silently pleaded with me to take Rylee from his arms. Nodding my head in understanding, I gently took her from him and held Rylee, so her head was tucked underneath my chin.

MC let go of Makenna's hand, moved towards Edward's outreached hands, and sat on his lap. Without looking at him, she said almost too quietly to hear, "Please."

Makenna squeezed herself between the arm of the couch and her dad. "MC's ready for you to adopt her. She's worried that you'll say no again."

Edward's head whipped around to a determined Makenna. I began to lose my grip on my tears, and as the first ones fell, I stopped trying. Edward was no more in control of his emotions than me. He brushed his tears away with the back of his hand and turned MC to face him.

"I _never_ said no, baby. I said I wanted you to be older and really understand what being adopted meant for both of us. Two years ago when you asked we had so much going on in our lives. Your mom and I had just been married, we moved our family into a new house – which also meant you and your sister had to switch schools. Plus, we had a baby on the way." Edward turned to look at Rylee.

Listening to Edward speak was very emotional for me. I was sad MC misunderstood our decision to wait, which proved we were correct in waiting. On the other hand, I was thrilled we were revisiting it.

Edward looked back to MC's dark brown eyes. "I didn't want you to ever regret your decision, because you didn't have the time to really come to terms with all the changes that were already going on in your life back then."

As he explained his reasoning to her, I thought back to the many discussions we had over the years. Edward had worried MC might regret her adoption when she was older. That thought alone was his greatest fear.

Edward stared at me with a knowing look before he continued, "This isn't something that can be un-done," his voice broke.

He pulled her into his chest, and they held each other as they quietly cried. Edward reached up and brought Makenna into their hug.

With his deep, loving eyes and soft, steady voice, he said, "I wanted you to become my daughter when I first met you that day at your Nana's house three years ago. I'd be honored to adopt you MC. I just hope I'm worthy enough for you."

Tears streamed down my face as I rocked Rylee from side to side and reached out to hold Edward's hand, giving it a squeeze to let him know I supported their decision.

I looked at MC who had a red, blotchy face from crying and tear tracks down her cheeks. The smile on her face – bright and beaming – was worth a million bucks. For a second my heart ached remembering the emotional journey we'd taken to get to where we were. It hadn't been easy on any of us, but fate couldn't be stopped. Jake touched our hearts in the most profound way, and we would always have a place in our lives set aside solely for him. Edward was our destiny; all paths led to him.

I brushed those thoughts away at the sound of a quick giggle from MC who said, "You are."

Those two words held so much meaning. Simple but true.

We sat around for a couple of hours talking about the things we'd need to do to make it official. Everything from her Social Security card to her Birth Certificate would need changed, and I had no clue what other things would need to be done. I reminded everyone it wouldn't be an overnight process, and we'd need to have an attorney guide us through the process and to represent us in court.

"So, you really want to be a Cullen, huh?" I teased her. "It's not as glamorous as it looks." I laughed as I felt Edward kiss my shoulder, chuckling.

"No, it's not glamorous, Bizzy, but you sure look good with my bling on your finger." He laughed. I leaned forward for a kiss as the girls groaned in disgust.

"I love you, my wife," he said against my lips.

I pulled back to look into his eyes. "I love you more, hubby."

We had the girls go take a shower and get ready for bed. After we each took turns saying good night to them, Rylee woke up with a soft smile. We fed her a light dinner and bathed her together. Edward and Rylee spent their special time together rocking in the glider until she fell back asleep.

With many words spoken between us, declarations of love, and plans for our family, our tired bodies fell into a blissful sleep with Edward's hand resting on _his_son.

**~~ E & B ~~**

_**Edward**_

The jingle of the bells on the door caught our attention, causing us to stop the mundane conversation we were having. We looked up to see who had entered the small coffee shop.

After Bella spoke to Billy the week prior and informed him that we'd like to take him out to eat, he suggested meeting us during the week. He'd been spending his weekends helping Sue Clearwater get her house ready to put on the market, so they could move in together.

Billy glanced around the restaurant, until his eyes connected with mine. He gave me a slight nod and made his way over to our corner booth. After a peck on Bella's cheek, he slid into the bench seat opposite us.

"Hi, Billy. Thanks for meeting us," Bella welcomed him as she fidgeted in her seat.

I understood the apprehension she had about the conversation we were planning to have. She was concerned he may feel as if we were stealing the last living piece of Jake, along with the Black family name, away by me adopting MC. That was the last thing we were trying to do. Bella and I agreed not to include MC in our discussion with him, just in case he didn't accept the news as well as we hoped he would. She was very adamant about me adopting her, and we didn't want her upset by her grandfather if he wasn't as excited as she was on the matter.

We had a serious family conversation after the night MC brought up me adopting her again and explained the technical changes that would occur when the adoption was complete. We discussed how her name would change and a new birth certificate would be generated with my name listed as her father - no longer Jake's.

"Hello, little one…" He turned to me. "Edward," Billy greeted us with a warm smile. Hearing his nickname for Bella must have calmed her nerves somewhat, because I noticed she stopped squirming and looked a little more relaxed. We continued to talk about various topics, including our second pregnancy, while looking over the menu.

After placing our orders and filling Billy in on what the girls had been up to, I placed a hand on Bella's thigh giving it a squeeze for encouragement. I could tell she was anxious and wanted to get the purpose of the lunch over with then move on to enjoying Billy's company.

"Umm… Edward and I wanted to talk you about something important… about MC." She started off with a shaky, broken voice, causing Billy to stop eating his burger.

"Is she having trouble in school or being a nuisance?" he asked, concerned

Bella shook her head slightly before answering, "No, she definitely doesn't cause any trouble, but I can't say she's the model student. That isn't what we wanted to talk to you about, though."

Billy remained silent, waiting for Bella to continue.

"Edward, MC, and I have had a lot of serious discussions lately on the dynamics of our family and something that has come up several times throughout the years is MC's desire to have Edward adopt her." She paused, taking a moment to judge Billy's reaction just as I was doing. "She also has asked to hyphenate her last name."

Billy took a deep breath and looked at me before he said anything.

"I can't say I'm all that surprised this conversation's coming up now, Edward. My granddaughter has never been shy about her love for you since you and Bella became an item. You won MC's heart years ago and have given her exactly what she's needed in a father figure. I-"

I cut him off. "Billy, I love MC as if she's my own flesh and blood. I swear to you, and I already told Jake this, I'm just as devoted to her as I am to my biological children," I spoke quickly, because I suddenly worried the next sentence out of his mouth was going to have some form of "but" in it.

He put his hand up to stop me from continuing my rant.

"I know that, young man. I was going to say that I've known for years this day would come based off conversations my granddaughter and I have had. I like you, Edward, and I know you came into Bella and MC's lives when they needed someone the most. I have no doubts you'll continue to do right by them and honor my son's memory in the process."

"Billy…" Bella started to speak but got chocked up, unable to continue her thought. I put my arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to me for comfort, while she worked through her feelings.

"Thank you for understanding," I simply stated, knowing Billy didn't need any further explanations on why we wanted to move forward with the adoption.

The rest of our time was spent with him being light and carefree, including promises to bring the girls to see him and Sue soon. On our way out I gave him a handshake and expressed my gratitude one last time. While he hugged Bella goodbye, I heard him whisper that he knew Jake would understand given the situation. Bella nodded her head but didn't reply. I knew where her thoughts were wandering. Guilt was creeping in, but I wouldn't allow her to think that way. We had approval from the one and only person from whom we wanted it.

Upon leaving, we were both full of excitement and anticipation to make MC legally my daughter. Unfortunately, things didn't progress as quickly as we'd hoped they would.

We'd met with several family lawyers before finding Jared Jenks and felt comfortable enough to hire him. One of the things that made Mr. Jenks stand out was how genuinely excited he was to take on our case. He stated that being on this side of an adoption was what made all the sad cases he had to represent worthwhile, and after hearing our story, he was confident he was assisting in a situation that would change MC's life in a positive way.

With Bella being due with our fourth child in a matter of months, Mr. Jenks did as much as he could on the back end, knowing she was overwhelmed with her position at the middle school and three kids at home. Our plan was to get as much done before Brady came, and as soon as Bella was up for it after his birth, Jenks would request a court hearing. Since Jake wasn't in the picture, things wouldn't be complicated. He stressed there would still be standard procedures to go through – a ton of documentation, statements from character witnesses stating I was fit to be MC's father, a home study, and at some point, the judge who would be handling our case would want to speak to us individually.

I provided him with every form of documentation I ever thought he would need and let him know statements from our family and friends would not be a problem. I was shocked, however, to receive one in the mail from Jessica, since I never asked her for it. The note attached to it stated her desire to help us, along with her talking about how great a father I was to Makenna, and that MC was a lucky girl to have me as her dad, as well.

I was overwhelmed by Jessica's statement and personal note. I'd never felt like I needed to hear her approval on how I was raising Makenna with Bella, but it felt good that she acknowledged the stable environment we were giving my daughter.

Bella was touched by Jessica's words, too, and made sure to call and thank her personally. Over the years since I'd reunited with Bella, the three of us had called a truce to the unspoken issues we had during college. We had all grown up, found our places in the world, and could finally be happy for one another. I was thankful we'd reached that point, because Makenna would only benefit from her parents and step-mom getting along. We taught her by example how to handle situations responsibly.

Bella and I were thankful we had worked hard to get as much done with the adoption before Brady's birth. She ended up having a rough recovery from an emergency C-section, followed by an unexpected surgery a few weeks later to remove her gallbladder. All our attention was focused on getting her better and taking care of our kids. It caused us to take a step back from proceeding with the adoption hearing. Mr. Jenks was understanding and said as soon as he got word from us, he would continue the process to set up the hearing.

Close to six months later we walked up the steps that would bring us inside the courthouse, and I couldn't help but feel anxious. It was the day I would be legally bound to MC, and _all_my children would carry the Cullen last name.

Before I opened the doors for my family to walk through, I stopped to address Bella, who was holding a sleeping Brady in her arms.

"Can MC and I meet you in there? I just want a minute alone with her," I asked as I looked down at MC to make sure she heard my request, as well.

Bella looked deep into my eyes, searching for reassurance that I was okay, and I smiled at her encouragingly. She said she would see us soon and walked through the door with Makenna and Rylee in tow. We were scheduled for a private meeting with the judge, and then the hearing itself would be open for anyone else who'd like to join. Our family would be there to show their support.

As soon as Bella and the kids were out of our sight, I held MC's hand and led her to a nearby bench. She sat down next to me and looked up with the same curious eyes her mother had given me moments before.

My sweet MC was growing up and looking more like Bella every day. She was going to be a little heartbreaker, and I knew I was in for some serious trouble as soon as she started noticing boys. I looked forward to scaring them away from _my_daughter.

"What's up?" she asked, bringing me back to reality.

"I just wanted to talk to you alone before we go in there." I paused trying to think of the right words I wanted to say. "I feel like I need to make sure you want to go through with this one last time. I love you more than my own life, and you are my daughter in my heart already. I want you to know that if your feelings have changed, I'll understand, and I won't be upset with you."

A large frown appeared on her face as she graced me with her famous pre-teen eye-roll.

"Dad, I'm not changing my mind. If I did, I would have told you already, so I wouldn't have to miss practice today."

With that being said, my worries were washed away. MC was a dedicated soccer player, and her statement was nothing but the truth. She wouldn't miss practice if she weren't sure about going through with this.

I smiled at her and opened my arms for a hug. She wrapped herself in my embrace and said, "Let's get the show on the road… I'm ready to get to the fun part. My party."

I had no choice but to laugh at her.

We walked hand in hand inside the courtroom and waited our turn to speak to the judge.

MC was first and was all smiles after she returned to us. Bella and Makenna had their turn, and finally, I was called into the judge's chambers.

As I sat in the chair across from Judge Palmer, I thought about Jake and hoped he really would approve. Making a commitment to MC was for him, in a way, too. I wanted my friend to rest in peace knowing his daughter would be taken care of and loved.

That thought alone helped me get through the grueling questions the judge threw at me, along with the fact that I knew I would be able to give her everything she would ever need. I listened closely to each of the questions and made sure to answer each one thoroughly.

_Why did I want to become MC's father?_

_Did I understand it was a legal commitment to her until she was eighteen, and if anything were to happen between me and Bella, I'd still be responsible for her support?_

_Had we discussed with MC and our other children what changes would occur after the completion of the adoption and how it would affect us all?_

While asking the serious questions, Judge Palmer's expression remained unreadable, but after a short period of time, he softened and told me that after reading over our case, speaking with the members of our immediate family, he saw no reason _not_ to grant us an approval.

My tense shoulders relaxed and a beaming smile appeared on my face as he finished his sentence.

_MC would officially be my daughter in a matter of minutes._

I stood up, giving him a heartfelt thank you and shook his hand before following him out of his chamber and into the courtroom. The rest of our family and friends had already joined Bella and the kids.

MC was seated at a table closest to the judges' bench, next to Bella, with an open seat on the other side of her for me. After a quick smile to my mom, who was already crying, I walked over to join my wife and daughter, ready to take an oath binding me to MC for the rest of my life. The commitment was in no way less meaningful than when Makenna, Rylee and Brady were born.

Judge Palmer called the room to attention and asked us to stand.

"Dr. and Mrs. Cullen, after reviewing your case and ensuring what was stated in the documentation was true through our conversations today, I see that it's in the best interest for Miss Black, that I grant your adoption petition." He smiled at us while he flipped his page and continued speaking.

I took a moment to look over at Bella. She must have felt my stare and turned her head to face me. I could see tears filling her beautiful brown eyes as she listened to the words the judge was saying about the role and responsibilities parents' have to their children.

_I__love__you,_ I mouthed, wanting her know that I felt the same way.

_This was the very last step we had to endure to be a true family._

I turned my attention back to the judge. "….With that being said, I believe it's time for me to make this official," he declared to the courtroom.

"I, Judge Palmer, with the authority bestowed upon me by the great state of Washington, declare that as of today, Mary Claire Black is officially Mary Claire Black-Cullen. She'll be taking on the last name of her father, Edward Cullen, as requested." He swiftly flicked his wrist, causing sound of his gavel connecting to the wood to fill the room, declaring that we had _finally_finished the hearing.

Cheers and claps exploded around us, but I had tunnel vision. I needed to have MC in my arms and tell her how much I loved her.

I bent down to pick her up, taking her by surprise and causing her to squeal. The moment I felt her fast beating heart against my chest I let out the emotions that I'd held back the entire day.

"I love you _so_ much, baby, and I'm _so_ proud to be your dad," I chocked out through my tears.

"I love you too, Dad," she said as she squeezed me back. Those four words meant everything to me and were exactly what I needed to hear.

I felt Bella's arms wrap around us and heard her whispers of love for us both. I looked up and gave my wife a sound kiss before a smile broke out across my face.

MC reached up to wipe my tears and then did the same to Bella's face, which made us both chuckle that _our_ten year old daughter was more put together then we were.

The three of us turned to greet our family, allowing their love and never ending support to blanket us.

"Come on, guys; I'm hungry. It's time to p-a-r-t-y… MC Black-_Cullen_style!" she yelled with a laugh as she wiggled out of my embrace and made the entire courtroom burst out with laugher.

_That_was my daughter! Today was her day, _our__day_ actually, and if she wanted to skip all the emotional parts and go out to eat, then by all means that was what we're going to do.

We decided not to have a huge party with tons of guests. All we needed was our family and closest friends, some good pizza, and MC's requested chocolate cake to celebrate.

We were on our way towards the door before Alice called out, stopping us in our tracks. "Hey, Cullens!" Everyone turned to look at her questioningly. "We need a picture of you with Judge Palmer before you leave."

The judge was gracious enough to grant Alice her wish and joined our family with the Washington state crest that hung on the wall behind us. We lined up with him in the center.

"One... two... three... smile," Alice unnecessarily requested as she clicked the camera.

There was no need for that direction. After the picture was taken, I looked around at the smiling faces surrounding me. Being near my family on the day that changed our lives forever was reason enough to have a smile plastered on my face. I knew it would reappear every time I thought back to the day MC became my daughter, making me a complete man for the rest of my life.

We were officially the Cullen family.

* * *

**A/N: The Cullen family, indeed! They've come a long way since Chapter one, huh?**

**From our families to yours, we wish you a holiday season filled with love, good health and happiness.**

**If you have time, please review and let us know your thoughts. Thank you!**


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